Specimen Requirements

Draw blood in a lavender top (EDTA) tube and send 4 ml of whole blood to lab immediately upon collection.

Specimen must arrive in lab within ½ hour of collection.

Blood smears must be made within 1 hour of collection.  If blood is received after 1 hour it will be deemed unacceptable and must be recollected.  Parasite morphology can become distorted as the specimen ages.

Note: Blood should be collected at height of fever or chill. This test should not be ordered until the patient’s temperature spikes.