The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) sends provider briefings to all Rhode Island licensees to keep you informed. Please note that information may not directly apply to all providers.


Important RIDOH Monkeypox Testing Guidance for Rhode Island Clinicians

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) offers the following reminders and clarifications about testing for monkeypox virus.

Commercial laboratory testing for monkeypox should be reserved for low probability cases AFTER assessment by a RIDOH public health nurse by calling 401-222-2577 or 401-276-8046 after hours. Providers with high-probability cases should continue to coordinate testing, in consultation with a public health nurse, at RIDOH's Rhode Island State Health Laboratories (RISHL), which offers more rapid turnaround times than commercial labs. Please carefully review RIDOH’s specimen collection instructions, including the necessary specimen collection materials and personal protective equipment (PPE) required. Providers should take proactive steps to procure these specimen collection materials and PPE in the event a patient must be tested. Specimens may be rejected if they are improperly collected or transported.

To build upon CDC’s and the Laboratory Response Network’s testing capacity, CDC recently worked to bring testing online at five commercial laboratory companies. All five commercial laboratories are now online and, combined with the CDC’s Laboratory Response Network, have increased national Monkeypox virus testing capacity from 6,000 to up to 80,000 specimens per week. Healthcare providers may currently order the orthopoxvirus test commercially from Sonic Healthcare/East Side Clinical Laboratories, Labcorp, Quest, Mayo Clinic, and Aegis Science just as they normally would order other tests. The public will not be able to go to go to a lab to submit a specimen. Healthcare providers can access information on the commercial labs’ websites.

The swabbing materials the provider should use are dependent upon the requirements of the laboratory. For example, RIDOH’s Rhode Island State Health Laboratories requires a dry swab. Quest does not allow a dry swab, but rather requires a VCM, VTM, UTM or equivalent. Providers should verify which commercial laboratory their practice/clinic/facility will work with, the specimen handling instructions for that lab, as well as how to access the necessary specimen collection kit.