Laboratory Test Guide

Babesia species by PCR, Blood (Sendout)

General Information

Lab Name

Lab Code

290

External Test Id

BABPB

Description

Useful For: An initial screening or confirmatory testing method for suspected babesiosis during the acute febrile stage of infection in patients from endemic areas, especially when Giemsa-stained peripheral blood smears do not reveal any organisms, or the organism morphology is inconclusive.

Test Information: This is a qualitative assay and the results are reported either as negative or positive for targeted Babesia species DNA.

Synonyms

Babesia divergens, Babesia duncani, Babesia microti, Babesia MO-1, Babesiosis, BABPB, LBAB

Interpretation

Method

Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)/DNA Probe Hybridization

Ref. Range Notes

Reference Values: Negative

Interpretation:

A positive result indicates the presence of Babesia species DNA and is consistent with active or recent infection. While positive results are highly specific indicators of disease, they should be correlated with blood smear microscopy, serological results and clinical findings.

A negative result indicates absence of detectable DNA from Babesia species in the specimen, but does not always rule out ongoing babesiosis in a seropositive person, since the parasitemia may be present at a very low level or may be sporadic.

Other tests to consider in the evaluation of a patient presenting with an acute febrile illness following tick exposure include serologic tests for Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), and molecular detection (PCR) for ehrlichiosis/anaplasmosis. For patients who are past the acute stage of infection, serologic tests for these organisms should be ordered prior to PCR testing.

Interferences and Limitations

Cautions:

While this assay is designed to detect symptomatic infection with Babesia microti, B duncani, and B divergens/MO-1, it may detect low-grade asymptomatic parasitemia in individuals in babesiosis-endemic areas. Thus, it should only be used for testing patients with a clinical history and symptoms consistent with babesiosis.

Inhibitory substances may cause false-negative results.

Inadequate specimen collection or improper storage may invalidate test results.

Guidelines

Washington DOH Notifiable Conditions

Ordering & Collection

Specimen Type

Blood

Collection

Collect 3 mL blood in LAVENDER TOP (EDTA) tube

Handling Instructions

Outside Laboratories: Store and transport whole blood at refrigerated temperature. Sample must arrive at the performing lab within 7 days of collection (allow for transit time from UW-MT to Mayo).

Stability: Refrigerated (preferred): 7 days; Ambient: Unacceptable; Frozen: Unacceptable.

Reject Due To: Gross lipemia.

Quantity

requested: 1 mL whole blood
minimum: 0.5 mL whole blood

Processing

Refrigerate whole blood in original collection container.

Login: SPMSND-;REFRIG

MSNDTO: MAYO
MSPTYP: WB
MTSTRQ: ;Babesia Species by PCR (Mayo Test BABPB)

Sendouts:

Order Mayo Test: BABPB.
Sample must arrive at Mayo within 7 days of collection.