Informational Tables

- 1.1 Parasite Classification | - 1.2 Body Site, Specimens, Procedures, Parasites, Comments | - 1.3 STAT Testing in Parasitology | - 1.4 Test Issues and Reports: Computer Report Comments| - 1.5 Rapid Diagnostic Testing
- 2.1 Stool Testing Order Recommendations | - 2.2 Fecal specimens for parasites: options for collection and processinga² | - 2.3 Preservatives used for Stool Specimens
- 3.1 Body Sites and Specimen Collection | - 3.2 Body sites and the most common parasites recovered | - 3.3 Body Site, Specimens and Recommended Stain | - 3.4 Examination of tissues and body fluids | - 3.5 Parasitic Infections: Clinical Findings Healthy/Compromised Hosts | - 3.6 Microscope Calibration | - 3.7 Serologic, Antigen, and Probe Tests for Parasite Diagnosis
- 4.1 Protozoa: Intestinal Tract, Urogenital System: Key Characteristics | - 4.2 Tissue Protozoa: Characteristics | - 4.3 Tips on Performance of Fecal Immunoassays for Intestinal Protozoa
5.1 Helminths: Key Characteristics | 5.2 Helminth Parasites Associated with Eosinophilia
6.1 Reference Laboratory for Parasite Blood Testing | 6.2 Parasites Found in Blood: Characteristics
7.1 Malaria (5 Species) (2 P. ovale subspecies) | 7.2 Malaria (5 Species, Images) | 7.3 Rapid Malaria Testing (BinaxNOW Malaria Test) | 7.4 Malaria Parasitemia Method | 7.5 Malaria Parasitemia Interpretation
- USE OF A REFERENCE LABORATORY FOR PARASITE BLOOD DIAGNOSTIC TESTING (Including the Binax Rapid Test and Report Comments)
- HELMINTH PARASITES ASSOCIATED WITH EOSINOPHILIA | - Histology: Staining Characteristics - Table 1 | - Histological Identification of Parasites - Table 2 | - Microscope Calibration | - Figures for Histology Identification Table 2 |

Diagnostic Medical Parasitology Information Tables

Table 3.1 Body sites and specimen collection
Site	Specimen option	Collection method^a
Blood	Smears of whole blood	Fresh thick and thin films (1st choice)
Blood	Anticoagulated blood; most common method used	Anticoagulant EDTA (1st choice)
Bone marrow	Aspirate	Sterile
Central nervous system	Spinal fluid	Sterile
Cutaneous ulcers	Aspirates from below surface Biopsy specimen	Sterile plus air-dried smears Sterile, nonsterile to histopathology (formalin acceptable)
Eye	Biopsy specimens submitted for histopathologic examination	Sterile (in saline)
	Scrapings	Sterile (in saline)
	Contact lens	Sterile (in saline)
	Lens solution	Sterile, used bottles only; unopened bottles under FDA regulation
Intestinal tract	Fresh stool	0.5-pt (ca. 0.237-liter) waxed container
	Preserved stool	5 or 10% formalin, MIF, SAF, Schaudinn’s, fixative (zinc-base preferred) with PVA, single vial systems (with or without PVA)
	Sigmoidoscopy material	Fresh, fixative with PVA or Schaudinn’s smears
	Duodenal contents (fresh, fixed/fecal fixative, or both)	Aspirates
	Anal impression smear; pinworm paddles	Cellulose tape/clear, (pinworm examination) – 3 different days, negative smears or paddles
	Adult worm or worm segments	“Saline, 70-90% ethanol
Liver, spleen	Aspirates	Sterile, collected in four separate aliquots (liver)
Liver, spleen	Biopsy specimen	Sterile, nonsterile to histopathology (formalin acceptable)
Lung	Sputum	True sputum (not saliva)
	Induced sputum	No preservative (10% formalin if time delay)
	Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid	Sterile
	Transbronchial aspirate	Air-dried smears or wet preparations^b
	Tracheobronchial aspirate	Air-dried smears or wet preparations^b
	Brush biopsy specimen	Air-dried smears or wet preparations^b
	Open lung biopsy specime	Air-dried smears or wet preparations^b
	Aspirate	Air-dried smears or wet preparations^b
Muscle	Biopsy specimen	Fresh, squash preparation Nonsterile to histopathology (formalin acceptable)
Skin	Scrapings	Aseptic, smear or vial
	Skin snip	No preservative; add drop of saline to prevent drying
	Biopsy specimen	Sterile (in saline) Nonsterile to histopathology
Urogenital system	Vaginal discharge	Saline swab, transport swab (no charcoal), culture medium
	Urethral discharge	Air-dried smear for FA^b
	Prostatic secretions	Air-dried smear for FA^b
	Urine	Unpreserved random specimen or 24-h unpreserved specimen Midday urine

^a MIF, merthiolate-iodine-formalin; SAF, sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin; PVA, polyvinyl alcohol; FA, fluorescent-antibody assay.

^b Transport of wet slide preparations to the laboratory can be difficult; wet specimens submitted in containers are problematic since volumes are usually very small, and the specimen may dry on the walls of the container during transit.

Informational Tables

Diagnostic Medical Parasitology Information Tables

Table 3.1 Body sites and specimen collection