Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a very contagious, common viral respiratory infection. RSV testing detects the presence of respiratory syncytial virus in nasal secretions to help diagnose the infection. Acceptable specimens for these tests are nasal/pharyngeal (NP) swabs or nasal washes/aspirations. Specimen Collection Nasal/Pharyngeal Swab Specimen is to be collected on a cotton, rayon, or Dacron swab with an …