Microbiology

Preferred Sample Type

BioFire Filmarray Respiratory Panel

Suitable Specimen Types

Nose and Throat Swab

BioFire Filmarray Respiratory Panel

Specimen Transport

Please bring sample to the laboratory as soon as possible.

Turnaround Time

24hrs (routine testing), and within 4 hours (urgent testing during core hours, please notify the laboratory if required) from receipt in the laboratory

Sample Stability

If transport is delayed, sample can be refrigerated for a maximum of 12 hours

General Information

Suitable sample types

  • Nose and throat swabs may be collected in either MedicalWire ViroCult VTM or Remel M4RT virus transport media.

Notes

The following pathogens are identified utilising the BioFire Respiratory Panel: Adenovirus, Coronavirus (229E, HKU1, NL63, OC43, Sars-CoV-2), Human Metapneumovirus, Human Rhinovirus/Enterovirus, Influenza A (including subtypes H1, H3 and H1-2009), Influenza B, Parainfluenza (1, 2, 3, 4), Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Bordatella parapertussis, Bordatella pertussis, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Patient requesting criteria: Only CCU immunocompromised or Specific requests by Microbiologist/Virologist will be tested on BioFire. All other extended respiratory requests will be processed using routine testing using the Hologic Fusion assay.

No repeat testing is performed within 14 days.

 

Results: are communicated electronically to Bed Management Teams and Infection Control.

 

Information Sharing: If your sample needs to be referred or a notifiable disease is detected from your sample, your details and sample may be shared with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). This is a legal requirement. The UKHSA is sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.

Specifications

  • EQA Status: Enrolled to Labquality Scheme
  • EQAS Scheme: Yes

Creation Date

Friday, 27 January 2023

Modification Date

Tuesday, 25 February 2025

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Copyright UHB Pathology 2025

Protection of Personal Information – Pathology Laboratories Services comply with the Trust Data Protection Policy and have procedures in place to allow the Directorate and it’s employees to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and associated best practice and guidance.

The laboratories at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Heartlands Hospital, Good Hope Hospital and Solihull Hospital form part of the services provided by University Hospitals Birmingham and are UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) accredited to the ISO 15189:2012 standard. Laboratories are currently transitioning across to ISO 15189:2022 standard. For a list of accredited tests and other information please visit the UKAS website using the following link: https://www.ukas.com/find-an-organisation/ 

  • Molecular Pathology is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 8759
  • Biochemistry is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 8910
  • Haematology and Transfusion is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 8784
  • Clinical Microbiology is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 8760
  • Cellular Pathology is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 10141
  • United Kingdom Health Security Agency laboratory is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No.8213

Tests not appearing on the UKAS Schedule of Accreditation currently remain outside of our scope of accreditation. However, these tests have been validated to the same high standard as accredited tests and are performed by the same trained and competent staff.

For further test information, please visit the test database: https://qehbpathology.uk/test-database 

For further information contact Louise Fallon, Quality Manager, 0121 371 5962/ 0121 424 1235