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April 2024
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Sonora Quest Launches Innovative Monkeypox Test
By Lisa Padilla - Tuesday Aug 09, 2022
Sonora Quest Laboratories, Arizona’s largest diagnostic laboratory, announces it is partnering with Quest Diagnostics, to bring a one-of-its-kind monkeypox testing to Arizonans through their regular health care providers. Unlike the CDC monkeypox testing offered through other labs, this test does not require an initial orthopox screening test before testing specifically for monkeypox, thereby reducing the overall turnaround time for results.

“As we all watch the monkeypox public health emergency unfold, Arizonans need answers,” said Sonora Quest Chief Operating Officer Sonya Engle. “By collaborating with our health care partners, we’re bringing yet another innovative test to our communities that make answers more accessible for everyone.”

People with a pox-like rash should contact their regular health care provider to determine if a monkeypox test is needed. If a test is needed, the health care provider will collect a sample by swabbing an existing lesion. The sample will then be sent to Sonora Quest where it will be processed for testing at Quest Diagnostics. Most test results are currently being returned within an average of 3-4 days (may vary due to testing demand) to the ordering provider and through Sonora Quest’s online patient portal.

Similar to Sonora Quest’s COVID-19 testing, the monkeypox test is a PCR test that screens for the virus’s specific genetic information. The test simultaneously detects and differentiates monkeypox DNA from other non-variola orthopox viruses. Current CDC monkeypox testing requires patients to undergo an initial orthopox screening before an additional sample is sent to the CDC for monkeypox-specific testing. By performing these screenings simultaneously, the monkeypox testing offered through Sonora Quest can decrease the wait for results.

Engle added: “COVID-19 and the flu continue to be more widely spread in our communities right now, but this testing will help us to better monitor the monkeypox prevalence in our state.”

This innovative monkeypox testing adds to Sonora Quest’s already robust test offerings to Arizonans, responding to rapidly changing health needs while ensuring Arizonans still have access to their COVID and routine testing.

Highlights:

Unlike the testing used by the CDC, this test does not require an initial orthopox screening test, reducing the wait for results. This is the only test available that is specific to the monkeypox virus.
Monkeypox samples MUST BE collected by health care providers in clinics, private offices, hospitals, etc.
Monkeypox samples CANNOT be collected at Sonora Quest locations.
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About Sonora Quest Laboratories

Sonora Quest Laboratories, a joint venture between Banner Health and Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), is part of the nation’s largest integrated laboratory system with approximately 3,800 employees serving more than 33,000 patients every day throughout Arizona. Sonora Quest Laboratories is the market share leader in clinical laboratory testing in Arizona, performing more than 97 million diagnostic tests per year. Sonora Quest Laboratories offers a comprehensive test menu that encompasses routine, molecular, prescription drug monitoring, genetic/genomic, women’s health, and pathology testing services. My Lab ReQuest™ provides consumers direct access to a diverse range of affordable screening tests that can be ordered online at SonoraQuest.com or in any of Sonora Quest’s more than 70 patient service centers across Arizona. Ninety-five percent of all testing is performed at the primary testing facilities located in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Prescott, and Yuma. Sonora Quest Laboratories is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), which is the gold standard in laboratory accreditation, helping laboratories maintain the accuracy of test results and ensure accurate patient diagnosis. This accreditation ensures the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients as CAP inspectors examine laboratory operations.