Ectoparasite and Arthropod Identification of Public Health Significance
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| WSLH Department: | CDD - Communicable Disease Division |
| WSLH Test Code: | MP00800 |
| Day(s) Performed: | Daily, Monday-Friday |
| Turn-around Time: | 1-3 days |
| Recommended Uses: | To identify those ectoparasites and arthropods that are legitimately considered threats to public health or the cause of human illness. |
| Contraindications: | |
| Additional Tests Performed: |
| Patient Preparations: | |
| Specimen Requirements: | Recovered arthropods such as ticks and mites may be submitted in any of the following ways: 1. 10% Formalin or its equivalent 2. 70% ethanol 3. If preservative is unavailable, use a sterile container with a small amount of water to prevent desiccation. 4. Microscopic specimens, such as mites, may be collected in immersion oil and placed on a cover slipped microscope slide. Place slide in a plastic slide holder. Close and parafilm the holder. The specimen should be submitted to WSLH as soon as possible and kept moist in the interim. |
| Specimen Handling & Transport: | |
| Collection Kit/Container: | |
| Collection Instructions: | Skin Scrapings: Place a drop of mineral oil onto a scalpel blade. Allow oil to flow onto papule. Scrape vigorously 6-7 times to remove top of papule and blood flecks can be seen in oil. Transfer scrapings to a glass slide. Add 1-2 drops of oil to the slide and crush any clumps. Coverslip slide. |
| Unacceptable Conditions: | Specimens that are in a state of degradation, such that they may not be identified, will be rejected |
| Requisition Form: |
CDD Requisition Form A
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| Required Information: | 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: | Identification or microscopic exam shows an organism or artifact which is not consistent with a parasitic arthropod or other insect. |
| Limitations: | Only those ectoparasites and arthropods suspected of or known to have caused disease or illness in humans will be identified. |
| Additional Tests Recommended: | |
| Additional Comments: | The significance of the finding of an arthropod or ectoparasite on a patient is not confirmatory for the transmission of an infectious agent to that patient or indicative of an active infectious process (i.e. Identification of an Ixodes scapularis tick does not indicate the patient has or will have Lyme Disease). |
| Methodology: | Macroscopic and Microscopic examination |
| Includes: | Confirmation and Identification of suspected parasitic ectoparasites and arthropods |
| CPT Code: | 87168 |
| Price: | $43.00 Price Effective 1/1/25 |