Norovirus

Patient Preparation

Instructions for patient self-collection of faeces sample:PATIENT SELF COLLECTED STOOL

Instructions for faeces sample collection in hospital:

• Ask patient to defaecate into a clinically clean bedpan or receiver.
• If the patient has been incontinent: a sample may be obtained from bedlinen or pads: try to avoid contamination with urine.
• Using the integrated ‘spoon’ in the sample pot lid, scoop enough faecal material to fill a third of the specimen container (or 10–15 mL of liquid stool).
• Apply specimen container lid securely. 
• Label sample and complete microbiology request form (including relevant information such as onset and duration of diarrhoea, fever or recent foreign travel).
• Dispatch sample to the laboratory as soon as possible or refrigerate at 4–8°C and dispatch within 12 hours.

Vomit swabs

• Use a red topped virology transport medium kit (labelled as Oxoid IDEIA Chlamydia kit).
• Dip swab into vomit.
• Place the swab in the transport liquid and snap off the swab shaft at the score line so it fits into the sample pot.
• Close the cap tightly and label with patient information.