What is the recommended testing kit?
It is recommended that you use a respiratory swab for viral testing using a dacron tipped swab with an aluminum or plastic shaft and inoculate into viral transport medium, label with patient information and refrigerate. Send to the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL) for testing. DO NOT send to a referral laboratory instead of the HETL. Check with your lab if you are unsure of the appropriate swab for viral testing. You can call the public health lab for supplies and they will ship them out. Instructions for collecting and submitting laboratory diagnostic specimens for H1N1 influenza testing are available at http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/etl/micro/submitting_samples.htm.
