Blood Smear for Parasites

Test Code

LAB883

Alias/See Also

Blood Parasites;; PLASMODIUM ; PARASITES; GIEMSA STAIN; BLOOD PARASITES; LEISHMANIA; BABESIA; FILARIA; Malaria smear; P. falciparum; P. vivax; P. ovale; P. malariae; P. knowlesi; Babesia species; Babesiosis; Trypanosoma species (eg Coccidia); African sleeping sickness; Chagas disease; Trypanosoma brucei; Trypanosoma cruzi (acute phase); Filarial parasites (microfilariae);. Wuchereria bancrofti; Brugia malayi; Loa loa; Mansonella spp.

CPT Codes
87207

Includes

Slide prep, stain and review for blood borne parasites

Preferred Specimen

Collect one 4.0 ml Lavender top (EDTA) tube or
One EDTA MicrotainerTM (1ml) (pediatric)

Minimum Volume

0.5 ml EDTA whole blood

Other Acceptable Specimens

At least 2 thick and 2 thin smears prepared from capillary source (finger) and

1 whole blood EDTA (lavender-top) tube

Instructions

"Routine venipuncture. Invert immediately and gently mix with anticoagulant.

Transport Temperature

Room Temp

Specimen Stability

Room temperature, stable 12 hours. Do not freeze.

Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)

Insufficient quantity; clotted specimen; mislabeled specimen; failure to follow specified collection and handling instructions.

Methodology
Light Microscopy

Setup Schedule

Daily/STAT

Report Available

Daily/STAT

Reference Range

None seen

Clinical Significance

Acute hemolytic anemias may result from malarial infections. The diseasemanifestations vary with the type of malarial organisms. Diagnosis isoften based on results yielded by peripheral blood smears.

The identification of malarial parasites, Babesia, and other blood parasites is used to determine treatment and prognosis. Calculating percent parasitemia is helpful in monitoring the therapeutic response. Microfilaria can be detected from a Giemsa stain, but this test in not recommended for microfilaria detection. One negative result cannot rule out infection.

Performing Laboratory
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula Laboratory

The CPT Codes provided in this document are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the payor being billed. Any Profile/panel component may be ordered separately. Reflex tests are performed at an additional charge.