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Test Code Blood Parasite Screen Blood Parasite Screen

Additional Codes

Cerner

NextGen

Blood Parasite Screen

Blood Parasite Screen

Collection Instructions

Malaria/Babesia:

  • Collect immediately upon first suspicion of Malaria/Babesia.
  • Multiple collections may be needed; these can be drawn at 8–12-hour intervals for 2-3 days, during or after fever/chills/paroxysms.

Microfilaria:

  • Loa loa: midday (10 am -2 pm)
  • Brugia or Wuchereria: at night, after 8 pm
  • Others (Mansonella, Onchocerca): any time

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Specimen Requirements

Preferred Volume

12 x 75 mm tube EDTA-2K/ EDTA-3K Lavender

Minimum Volume

0.5 mL

Container
  • Preferred
    • 12 x 75 mm tube EDTA-2K or EDTA-3K Lavender

 or 

  • Microtube EDTA-2K or EDTA-3K Lavender

Stability
  • Slides must be prepared within 2 hours of collection

Rejection Criteria

Clotted samples. 

Result Reporting and Reference Values

Reference Range

No blood parasites seen

Reflex Testing

Will be selected based on discussion with ordering provider and/or pathologist recommendation.

Limitations

  • Smear evaluation is a screening procedure only and should be evaluated with clinical data, etc. 
  • Speciation is not always possible from the smear.

Useful For/ Methodology

The purpose of this orderable is to be able to identify and report  blood parasites.  This is done by making regular thin blood smears and also thick blood preparations.  The thick smears are used to establish the presence of organisms and the thin smears can be useful to speciate the organism.