Ova and Parasites, Exam
| WSLH Department: | CDD - Communicable Disease Division |
| WSLH Test Code: | MP00840 |
| Availability: | Daily, Monday - Friday |
| Turn-around Time: | 1-3 days |
| Recommended Uses: | For the diagnosis and identification of protozoan and helminth parasites of humans. |
| Contraindications: | Not recommended for patients without one of the following: Travel history to endemic area, compromised immune status, previous parasitic infection, contact with either infected individuals or contaminated food/ water source or linked to a possible or known outbreak. |
| Additional Tests Performed: |
| Patient Preparations: | Patient should not have been given barium, bismuth, laxatives, anti-diarrheal agents or antibiotic treatment for at least one week prior to specimen collection. |
| Specimen Requirements: | Stool specimen preserved in para-pak SVT, and ZN-PVA (or substitute), 10% Formalin (or substitute). |
| Specimen Handling & Transport: | Room temperature (preserved specimens) |
| Collection Kit/Container: |
Intestinal Parasites (Ova and Parasite)
|
| Collection Instructions: | Collect stool as directed by the package insert for preserved specimens. It is highly recommended that 3 specimens be collected to allow for identification. If possible, the specimens should be collected every other day, as parasites are shed intermittently and in varying numbers. Multiple specimens should not be collected on the same day. |
| Unacceptable Conditions: | Unpreserved stool specimens are not acceptable and will be rejected. Formalin is not acceptable for trichrome analysis. |
| Requisition Form: |
CDD Requisition Form A
|
| Required Information: | Patient history may be critical for the diagnosis and identification of intestinal parasites. In addition to the information mentioned above, patient history should include any foreign travel, any prophylaxis or treatment received, clinical symptoms, compromised immune status and prior parasite infection if applicable. Laboratory regulations require the following minimum information to be provided on the requisition form for a specimen to be accepted for testing: Patient name or unique identifier; date and time of collection, patient date of birth and sex, specimen type/site of collection, test request(s), clinician name and UPIN, and address for reporting results. Please be certain that name/identifier on the form matches that on the specimen label. |
| Results Include: | No parasites found or Identification of parasite found |
| Limitations: | A single negative result does not rule out infection. A minimum of 3 stool examinations are needed to reliably detect infections. Routine ova and parasite examination and trichrome stain do not reliably allow for the detection and identification of Cryptosporidium or Microsporidia. If any of these agents are suspected, further testing must be performed. Please call 1-800-862-1013 to discuss testing options for these parasites. |
| Additional Tests Recommended: | Cryptosporidium/ Giardia Antigen Detection (DFA)(Test MP00802) Repeat testing of at least 3 stools collected on separate days. |
| Additional Comments: |
| Methodology: | Microscopic exam of formalin-ethyl acetate concentrated and trichrome-stained smears of stool specimens. |
| Includes: | Identification of intestinal parasites in stool specimens. |
| CPT Code: | 87177, 87209 |
| Price: | $117.00 |