Malarial Screen, Rapid, Emergency
| Abbrev Code: | MALARIAAG | ||
| Order Code: | LAB3603 | Order Name: | Malarial Screen Rapid |
| Order Instructions: | Order a Malaria Smear (PSTN) with the Malarial Screen, Rapid, Emergency | ||
| Synonyms: | Plasmodium falciparum Screen; Pan Malarial Screen | ||
| Methodology: | Immunochromatography | ||
| CPT Codes: | 87899 x1 | ||
| Turnaround Time: | Performed 24 hours a day/7 days per week, and reported within 24 hours. | ||
Collection Instructions
| Specimen: | Whole Blood, and thick and thin blood smears |
| Optimal Volume: | 2 mL minimum AND a minimum 3 thin and 3 thick blood smears (ordered as PSTN) |
| Container: | See Collection Instructions, Purple (EDTA) Alternate Containers: Microscope slides |
| Collection Instructions: | Collect purple (EDTA) tube. Immediately mix 10 times by gentle inversion. Collect blood in syringe after all other tubes are collected and immediately make thick and thin blood smears at the bedside. Alternatively, thick and thin smears can be made directly from fingerstick.
Thin smears should have long feathered edges similar to those used to study cell morphology in Hematology. Thick films are dime-sized preparations several cell layers thick. See separate procedure "Blood Films for Malaria". Blood smears made from EDTA tubes are inferior and only acceptable if there is no alternative. If EDTA is used, smears should be made within 2 hours of collection. Label each slide and allow to dry flat before placing in slide holders and delivering to IDDL. |
Processing and Shipping
| Specimen Processing: | Do not process. Store at room temperature. |
| Shipping Instructions: | Ship at ambient temperature to arrive within 8 hours. |
| Test Performed at or Referral Lab | Infectious Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory (UMMC East Bank) |
Interpretive
| Critical Range: | Positive result. |
| Reference Range: | Negative |
| Use: | Assay is intended for emergency screening for malaria antigens, with the emphasis on Plasmodium falciparum, the most life-threatening malaria species. It is not a stand-alone test and positive results are followed by Giemsa stained thin and thick smears by microscopy for confirmation and parasitemia level. Negative screens will be followed by thin/thick microscopy. |
Click HERE to Report test errors or omissions.
*If no email program is associated with this computer, please contact:
[email protected] for TestID: 4242"