We want your time with us to be as positive and comfortable as possible. Our vision is to ensure every patient or consumer receives the right treatment at the right time in a safe environment.

We provide a range of support to assist patients, consumers, families and carers to access services at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Hospital care

Coming to hospital can be a stressful time for many people. Knowing as much as possible about what to expect can make you feel more comfortable.

Ongoing care

We work with you and your family or carers to set goals for what you want to achieve from your stay in hospital.

Community care

We deliver more than 50 healthcare services in the community and in people's homes, across Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Providing feedback

We welcome your feedback, whether it's a complaint, a compliment or a suggestion. Your feedback helps us improve our services for everyone.

Services & clinics

At the Royal Melbourne Hospital, we offer a range of services and clinics for our patients and consumers. We support people staying in hospital, as well as people coming in for treatment or being treated in the community.

View all services & clinics

Cardiology

Diabetes and Endocrinology

Victorian Infectious Diseases Service

Victorian Tuberculosis Program

Health professionals

As a large public hospital and healthcare provider, we work with health professionals statewide to help deliver patient care. Our career and training opportunities for healthcare workers promote professional development and improve patient outcomes.

Referrals Parkville Connect

Careers

The Royal Melbourne Hospital is one of Australia’s leading public healthcare providers. Join the team. Build a career.

Training courses

There's a range of clinical learning opportunities at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH).

For GPs

Our GP Liaison team helps GPs and other health professionals to navigate and refer patients to services at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH). We work to improve communication between the hospital and primary care

Pathology Handbook

The RMH Pathology Handbook is a reference guide to help clinicians select tests and collect the correct specimen.

Research

Alphavirus PCR (Group A Arbovirus)

Back to Pathology Handbook

Collection Requirements

9 ml EDTA Respiratory Samples CSF, Urine

Tube Colour

Lavender

Test image(s)

Requires own tube?

Yes

Department

Microbiology

Availability

2-3 Days

Reference Laboratory

Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL), 792 Elizabeth Street Melbourne , 3000.

Fee

Medicare rebatable

Notes

Detects most known alphaviruses, including Chikungunya, Sindbis, Barmah Forest, Semliki Forest, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Western Equine Encephalitis, Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis and Ross River viruses. Additional testing is required to differentiate these viruses.

Test code: ALPHAP

Back to Pathology Handbook

Pathology Handbook search