The AHDC offers its expertise to extract DNA and RNA from your research samples, including whole blood, serum, plasma, tissues, feces, cultures, swabs and washes. Samples must be labeled clearly with sequential, underlined numbers (to distinguish between numbers if their order is disrupted during shipment), and labeling must match submission form IDs. Samples should then be placed in order in a box secured with a lid and other means to ensure sample organization is not disrupted during shipment. Any samples received that do not meet the labeling and organizational guidelines listed here may incur an additional processing fee.

On the submission form:

1. Request Nucleic Acid Extraction (test code: NAE).
2. Specify if you need Xeno internal control added.
3. Specify if the extraction will be used for sequencing.
4. For tick samples, specify if tick species ID (Parasite ID) are needed.
5. For tick samples, specify if samples are in isopropanol or ethanol.
6. Provide your Fedex account to allow for shipment of extractions.

Once the extractions are complete, they will be placed in 1.5ml snap-cap tubes labeled with the same sequential numbering that you assigned, organized in a box and shipped frozen on dry ice overnight to you.

Sample Type Specific Instructions

Feces

Place 300 to 400 mg of feces per sample into 2 ml snap-cap tubes, labeled with sequential underlined numbers. Samples must be frozen and sent on dry ice overnight, or refrigerated and delivered by hand.

Swabs

Place one swab per sample into 15 ml leak-proof tubes labeled with sequential underlined numbers and containing enough viral transport media or saline to cover the swab tip. Cotton, plastic, wood-handled, and Dacron and other synthetic swabs are all acceptable, but calcium alginate swabs or swabs in bacterial transport media will not be accepted. Samples can be sent frozen and shipped overnight on dry ice, refrigerated and shipped overnight on ice packs, or hand-delivered.

Washes, Serum, Plasma and Liquid Cultures

Place 400 µl of fluid per sample into 2 ml snap-cap tubes, labeled with sequential underlined numbers. Samples can be sent frozen and shipped overnight on dry ice, refrigerated and shipped overnight on ice packs, or hand-delivered.

Solid Cultures

Place a 50 µl sized pellet per sample into 2 ml snap-cap tubes, labeled with sequential underlined numbers. Samples can be sent frozen and shipped overnight on dry ice, refrigerated and shipped overnight on ice packs, or hand-delivered.

Whole Blood

Place 300 µl per sample into 2 ml snap-cap tubes, labeled with sequential underlined numbers. Samples must not be frozen, and must be sent refrigerated with ice packs overnight or hand-delivered.

Tissues

Place 100 to 200 mg of tissue per sample in 2 ml snap-cap tubes, labeled with sequential underlined numbers. Samples must be frozen and sent on dry ice overnight, or refrigerated and delivered by hand.

Ticks

Submit ticks in leak-proof tubes containing a small amount of 70-95% isopropanol or ethanol. Up to six ticks can be submitted per tube and will be extracted together. Tubes must be labeled with sequential underlined numbers and labelling must withstand alcohol. Methyl alcohol or tape will not be accepted. Ship tick samples overnight on ice packs. To ship samples containing isopropanol or ethanol domestically under exempt quantities (EQ), each sample container must contain less than 30 ml of alcohol and the package must contain less than 500 ml of alcohol in total. The package must be labeled with the EQ label shown below.  

Prior to shipment, to ensure your package arrives on time and safely, please review how to send specimens for further instructions.