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Specimen Collection Manual and Test Catalog

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MALARIA MOLECULAR PCR

Geisinger Epic Procedure Code:  LAB3589    Geisinger Epic ID:  138817

SPECIMEN COLLECTION
Specimen type: 

Whole blood


Preferred collection container: 
Specimen required: 

4 mL EDTA whole blood (minimum 1 ml) AND 2 thin blood films and 2 thick blood films submitted on clean, grease-free slides in plastic containers


Special notes: 

Blood Collection Instructions: Invert several times to mix blood. Do not transfer blood to other containers. Slide Preparation Instructions: Take EDTA tube to hematology lab and have thin and thick smears made. Quest requires 2 thin and 2 thick smears. Thin smears should be fixed, thick are not fixed. Send to Quest:EDTA tube and 4 smears



SPECIMEN PROCESSING
Processing instructions: 

Blood Collection Instructions: Invert several times to mix blood. Do not transfer blood to other containers. Slide Preparation Instructions: Take EDTA tube to hematology lab and have thin and thick smears made. Quest requires 2 thin and 2 thick smears. Thin smears should be fixed, thick are not fixed. Send to Quest: EDTA tube and 4 smears


Transport temperature: 

Refrigerated.


Specimen stability: 

Room temperature: 7 day s. Refrigerated: 7 days. Frozen: Not established.


Rejection criteria: 

Gross hemolysis, gross lipemia



TEST DETAILS
CPT code(s):  87798
Note: The billing party has sole responsibility for CPT coding.  Any questions regarding coding should be directed to the payer being billed.
The CPT codes provided by GML are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only.

Test includes: 

Detection and confirmatory identification of Plasmodium species: P falciparum, P vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. knowlesi.


Methodology: 
DNA Probe Hybridization
Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
Synonyms: 

Quest test code LAC 39729, Mal Mole PCR


Clinical significance: 

Detection of Plasmodium DNA and identification of the infecting species


Review Date:  12/11/2024

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