Preferred: Stool in Zinc-PVA (grey vial) and 10% formalin (pink vial).
Acceptable: Stool in a Sterile Container <1 hour old.

Specimens obtained with a warm saline enema or Fleet -Phospho-Soda are acceptable.

Wait ≥1 week after barium procedures or barium laxatives before collecting stool for exam.

Transfer 5 g of stool within 1 hour of collection into 10% formalin (pink vial) and Zinc-PVA (grey vial) (10 g total). (Min: 10 g total)

• Sample not preserved within 1 hour.
• Frozen sample.
• Dried-out specimen.
• Stool in diapers, tissue paper, or homemade containers.
• Specimens containing interfering substances (castor oil, bismuth, barium, mineral oil, iron, magnesium).
• Specimens contaminated with urine.
• More than one specimen on inpatients hospitalized for more than 3 days.
• Sample not properly identified, incorrect container, insufficient volume, or past stability.

Internal: Deliver to lab immediately.
Offsite: Preserve specimen within 1 hour of collection. Send at ambient temperature.

Room Temp: Preserved stool indefinitely; Raw stool 1 hour
Refrigerated: Preserved stool indefinitely; Raw stool 1 hour
Frozen: Unacceptable

Order GI PCR Panel Plus (Multiplex FilmArray assay) for first-line parasitic testing. For patients with prior residence in endemic countries, consider ordering a full ova and parasite exam in addition to GI PCR PANEL PLUS testing.

If Pinworm is suspected, refer to LAB248 Pinworm Prep.

Order OP if any of the following patient conditions exists:

1. OPSCREEN or GI PCR PANEL PLUS is negative and patient has persistent diarrhea.
2. Exposure as part of an outbreak, chronic institutional care or daycare. 
3. Previous residence in an endemic area for GI parasites. 
4. Immunocompromised. 
5. Systemic eosinophilia.

OPSCREEN will be performed unless one of the above conditions exists.

One specimen will detect greater than 90% of parasites.

Only one stool will be tested on inpatients hospitalized greater than 3 days.
 

Up to 3 stool specimens, collected at least 24-hours apart, will be accepted per outpatient within a 10-day period.

Requests for O&P exam from non-stool specimens require special arrangements with the Microbiology Lab and Medical Director approval.

Direct wet mounts, concentration procedure, trichrome smear, Cyclospora and Isospora acid-fast smear and Giardia/Cryptosporidium antigen test.

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