PARASITE / ARTHROPOD IDENTIFICATION

Test Code

LAB123336

CPT Codes
87168, 87169

Includes

Direct examination (if indicated), concentrated examination, and trichrome stain for cysts, trophozoites, eggs, larvae, and adult worms in stool or duodenal contents.

Preferred Specimen

Stool or Arthropod

Minimum Volume

2 mL stool or
Arthropod

Instructions

Parasite: If patient has received barium, wait ten days before submitting a stool specimen. If enemas are required, only fleets or saline enemas are recommended. For best results, collect one specimen every two days for a total of three specimens. See Clinical Significance for a list of acceptable and unacceptable purgatives.

Arthropod: Place in a sterile container

Specimen Stability

Stool:
1. Fresh specimen: Refrigerate
2. Specimen in ParaPak: Ambient
Arthropod:
1. Ambient

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

Stools containing barium, contamination of outer surface of container, and specimen contaminated with urine or toilet water will be rejected. No more than one specimen per day will be tested. Twenty-four hour specimens, specimens sent in diapers, on toilet paper, or on a tissue will be rejected. Routine testing will not be performed on patients hospitalized for greater than 3 days. Outpatient specimen submissions will be rejected if not received in transport media.

Methodology
Stool: Stain/Wet Mount
Arthropod: Microscopy

Setup Schedule

Monday-Friday

Reference Range

Stool: No ova or parasites seen.
Arthropod: No human parasite present

Clinical Significance

Agent	Acceptable	Unacceptable	Waiting Period
Fleets	X
Barium		X	5-10 days
Saline	X
Metamucil		X	48 hours
Ducolax		X	48 hours
Mylanta		X	48 hours
Milk of Magnesia		X	48 hours
Alterna-Gel		X	48 hours
Gelusil		X	48 hours
Riopan	X
Duclcolax	X
Donnagel		X	48 hours
Lomotil	X
Imodium	X
Iridum	X
Kaopectate		X	48 hours
Mineral Oil		X	5-10 days
Stool Softeners	X

Performing Laboratory
West Virginia University Hospital, Inc.
Wheeling Hospital

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.