DBS Retention Report

1-56 of 56 results
State/NBS Program DBS Retention Time DBS Storage Conditions
Alabama 3 months 2-8 degrees Celsius
Alaska 3 years Testing lab stores securely for 1 month at room temp then returned to AK for remaining time, securely, at room temp then destroyed.
American Samoa
Arizona 3 months - specimens of interest or positive may be kept without demographic information for QA/QC and training purposes Room Temperature. Abnormal and true positive samples are kept in freezer with desiccant pack
Arkansas 1 year -20°C with dessicant
California Indefinitely -20°C with dessicant
Colorado 6 months Stored at 2-8 C for 6 months.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Connecticut 3 years (2+current) Minus 80 freezer
Delaware 90 days Samples destroyed by laboratory after completion of testing -20°C with dessicant in sealed bags
District of Columbia 1 year Room Temperature
Florida 6 months Ambient temperature
Georgia 4 months for normal specimens and one year for abnormal specimens 4 °C
Guam one year
Hawaii 1 year Room Temperature
Idaho 18 Months per Idaho Administrative Rule Room Temperature
Illinois 2-6 months A) Refrigerator; B) Abnormal (positives) moved to freezer after 1 month.
Indiana 6 months or 3 years room temperature or cooler
Iowa 5 years 1 year at -80 °C then an additional 4 years at room temperature
Kansas 30 days from specimen receipt (confirmed cases are de-identified and stored indefinitely) -10°C or colder
Kentucky 2 months Frozen (-20 degrees Celsius)
Louisiana 1 month Refridgerated
Maine Indefinitely -20 (Freezer)
Maryland 25 years 4C (Refrigerated)
Massachusetts 15 years -20 (Freezer)
Michigan Up to 100 years Room temperature until December 2008. January 2009 thru September 2010 stored at -20C within 90 days. After October 2010 stored at -20C within 14 days of testing.
Minnesota o State statute allows indefinite storage of dried blood spots specimens. Current practice is to store dried blood spots for 5-6 years. -20C (frozen) with dessicant
Mississippi 1 year
Missouri 5 years (unless a parent opts out of storage) -20 °C to -30 °C with dessicant
Montana 1 year -20 (Freezer)
Nebraska 3 months Refrigerated
Nevada 6 months-1 year Room Temperature
New Hampshire 6 months -20 (Freezer)
New Jersey 2 years as of Nov 1, 2024 Room Temperature / Not Air Conditioned
New Mexico 1 year Room air
New York Up to 27 years Refrigerated
North Carolina 5 years Room temperature
North Dakota Age 18 Stored in secure temperature controlled room
Ohio 2 years -20 °F
Oklahoma up to 42 days Refrigerated
Oregon 1.5 years (18 months) Room Temperature
Pennsylvania 1 year -20 °C
Puerto Rico 2 years 4 degrees celsius
Rhode Island 23 years
South Carolina Specimens are stored for approximately 12 months. After that time they are destroyed in a scientifically acceptable manner. Specimens from infants diagnosed with a condition identified through screening may be stored for a longer period of time Stored specimens are kept in a -20 degree C freezer
South Dakota 1 month Room Temperature
Tennessee 1 year, confirmed positives indefinitely 2-8 °C for those reported as normal; -20 °C for confirmed postives
Texas By default, up to two years. With valid parental decision form indicating OK, up to 25 years. Room temperature; Diagnosed cases and some presumptive positives stored at –15 to –25º
US Virgin Islands
Utah Minimum 90 days Room Temperature for 7 days, then -20 °C
Vermont One year unless parent requests otherwise -20 °C
Virginia Normal samples: stored for 6 months, Abnormals: stored for 10 years ambient temperature
Washington 21 years Room temperature
West Virginia 3 months room temperature
Wisconsin 1 year 4-8 °C
Wyoming 6 months Room Temperature