Primary virus isolation by a satellite laboratory.

A hospital-based satellite laboratory designed to isolate viral pathogens frequently found in renal transplant and hematology-oncology patients was compared with a system based on isolation by a state-wide reference laboratory. The hospital-based laboratory identified 12 viral isolates from the total 97 clinical specimens submitted. The hospital-based laboratory identified seven viral isolates from the first 50 clinical specimens, whereas the statewide reference laboratory identified six isolates from identical paired specimens. The average time from specimen collection to reporting results for the 97 specimens was 9.2 days for the hospital laboratory, as compared with 11.2 days for the first 50 duplicate specimens sent to the state laboratory. The cost per clinical specimen was $18.10, which compares favorably with costs for routine aerobic bacteriology. The use of a satellite laboratory system for primary viral isolation appears to provide rapid, accurate, and accessible viral diagnosis at an affordable cost.