| Test: | Malaria Exam, Blood |
| Synonym: | Parasite Exam, Blood; Giemsa Stain for Malaria |
| Method: | Stain, microscopic exam |
| Availability: | Daily, results available within 24 hours or by STAT request |
| Specimen: | Blood |
| Collection Device: | One 5.0 mL EDTA (Lavender) tube or 5 thick and 5 thin slides. |
| Volume: | 5.0 mL whole blood (slides may also be prepared by fingerstick blood) |
| Storage/Transport: | After collection, transfer the blood tube to the laboratory at ambient temperature. If > 1 hour, prepare five thin blood smears (use the technique done to prepare a differential count) and 5 thick blood smears (prepared by dropping 10 - 20 µl of blood onto the slide and spreading into a dime-sized area with a wooden or plastic applicator). Slides can be dried at a temperature no greater than 37 °C. Do not stain or fix the slides. Label the slides with the patient's name, hospital number, and date/time of preparation. Transfer slides to the laboratory after the slides have dried at room temperature in a covered container. |
| Unacceptable: | Frozen or refrigerated samples, blood tube or prepared slides > 24 hours old, blood tube or slides without the time of collection indicated |
| Specimen Stability: | Slides and tubes are stable at ambient air for up to 24 hours |
| Reference Interval: | Negative |
| Reportable Disease: | Detection of malarial parasites in blood is reportable |
| Comments: | Requests for malarial smears should also include the following historical information: i) patient's travel history and date of return to or arrival in the US ii) history of prophylaxis or treatment for malaria iii) history of transfusions or shared needles iv) past history of malaria in the patient Blood containing malaria parasites is infectious, and universal precautions should be strictly followed when handling specimens. One negative set of blood smears does not rule out malaria. |
| Revised: | 2/13/2012 |