What the virology requisition is for
This form orders viral detection at the Public Health Laboratory, mostly by PCR on swabs, fluids and feces. It covers respiratory viruses, herpes viruses and mpox from skin and mucosal sites, encephalitis panels on CSF, the gastrointestinal viral panel, and measles, mumps and rubella. Version 1.0 dates from August 2026. Antibody tests go on the Serology Screening or Zoonotic requisitions.
Who completes it
The ordering practitioner completes and signs it. The lab completes the date received and the referral laboratory box used for viral typing. Highlighted fields are mandatory.
How to fill in the requisition
Section 1: Patient and provider information
Give the personal health number, name, date of birth, sex, address and contact number, with the collection date and time. Two matching unique identifiers must be on the container and the requisition. Add the ordering practitioner’s MSP number and delivery address, and up to three copy recipients.
Respiratory
Indicate the sample site (nasopharynx, nares, oropharynx, throat, lower respiratory tract or other) and the container (swab with transport medium, saline gargle or other). Then tick COVID-19, influenza A and B with RSV, avian influenza, enterovirus D68 or another test.
Skin, mucosal and encephalitis
For skin and mucosal samples, give the anatomical site and choose lesion, mucosal lesion or mucosal non-lesion, then HSV 1 and 2 with VZV, mpox, molluscum contagiosum or other. For CSF, choose the HSV, VZV and enterovirus panel, West Nile virus, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or other.
Gastrointestinal, MMR and exposure history
Feces can go for the gastrointestinal viral panel or enterovirus. For measles, mumps or rubella, pick the sample type in the matching column. Fill in the relevant exposure, travel or outbreak information wherever the form flags it as required.
Common reasons it’s delayed
- No sample site or container type for a respiratory sample.
- An approval-required test sent without approval, or outside its season.
- Avian influenza ordered with no exposure location.
- A measles request with no vaccination or travel information.
- CSF from an infant under six months sent here instead of BC Children’s and Women’s.
Submitting and who pays
The samples and requisition go to the Public Health Laboratory at 655 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver. The eLab Handbook gives sample collection details for each test. The requisition has no billing section.