How to Test a Uterine Biopsy For HHV-6A

Commercial labs that can test uterine biopsies for HHV-6 include Coppe Laboratories and Eruo-Fins Viracor in the US.

Coppe Laboratories (USA): Tissues can be sent frozen and shipped on dry ice for HHV-6A/B PCR DNA testing with the results being given as a ratio of HHV-6 genome to cellular genes. Coppe asks that no buffer, water or saline be added to the sample and that it be shipped in a sterile tube/container. Code: 1111; (CPT 87532×2)

Alternatively, formalin fixed, paraffin embedded samples on glass slides can be sent for immunohistochemistry testing.
Code: 2001 (CPT 88342)

Eruo-Fins Viracor (USA): Quantitative PCR DNA testing for HHV-6. It does not differentiate between HHV-6A and HHV-6B.  They prefer frozen specimens with no added fluid, water or saline, shipped overnight with dry ice. No slides or paraffin embedded tissue accepted. Code: 6506

HHV-6A vs. HHV-6B.  Please note that Coppe and IKDT can differentiate HHV-6A from HHV-6B, but most labs do not have this capability. Only HHV-6A has been found in uterine biopsies of women with unexplained infertility (Marci 2016).