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Test Code LAB883 Blood/Tissue Parasite Stain

Additional Codes:

FILM

Includes:

Malaria, Trypanosomes, Babesia, and others.

Notes:

Specimens must be received in lab within 1 hour of collection.

Optimal time to obtain blood for smears:

  • Babesia - anytime
  • Brugia - midnight
  • Leishmania - anytime
  • Loa loa - around noon
  • Malaria or Plasmodium - between chills; additional blood collections at 6 hr, 12 hr or 24 hrs after 1st collection may be warranted.
  • Wuchereria & Mansonella - at night

UNACCEPTABLE/REJECTED SPECIMENS:

  • Specimens older than 1 hour
  • Cold specimens

Collection:

Specimen: Blood

Container: Lavender Top Tube

Volume: 2 ml

Storage Instructions:

Ambient: 1hr; Refrigerated: Unacceptable; Frozen: Unacceptable

Turnaround Time (TAT):

Malaria antigen test performed within 60 minutes of receipt of specimen in lab. Thick and thin films reported within 24 hours. Positive smears are called to the ordering physician immediately.

Test Availability:

24 hours a day / 7 days a week

Request Form:

Microbiology – Green Request Form

Send To:

UMC MAIN LABORATORY Specimen Receiving – EH318 Children’s Hospital

Reference Interval:

No blood parasites detected

Interpretive Data:

Results for malaria reported as Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium species not P. falciparum