Specimen Requirements

Specimen must be processed within 30 minutes of collection.

Please document relevant travel history on laboratory request.

Collect blood just prior to expected fever/chills (usually mid-afternoon), as this is when largest number of parasitic forms are circulating. Blood must be collected from a venipuncture site.

Draw a full, lavender-top (EDTA) tube. Send unprocessed EDTA whole blood promptly to laboratory- within 30 minutes of collection.

Note:  1. Please note relevant travel history on laboratory request form or computer request.

2. Label specimen with patient’s name (first and last), date of birth, date and time of draw, and phlebotomist’s initials.