Cryptosporidium, Cryptonet

Patient Preparation

• None

• Acceptable specimen types:

-  Unfixed stool - miminum volume of 200µL 

-  Frozen stool

-  Fixed stools in the following media:

-  Cary-Blair media 

-  Zinc PVA 

-  Intestinal Parasite (IP) Total Fix media

-  Potassium dichromate 

-  Amies or Stuart transport media 

• Specimen must be labeled with at least two unique patient identifiers and match accompanying PH-4182 Clinical Submission Requisition.

• None

• Unfixed stools stored at 2 - 8°C less than one month following collection.
• Unfixed frozen stools stored at (-20) to (-70)ºC.
• Fixed stools stored at the following temperatures less than one month following collection:

-  Cary-Blair media stored at 2 - 30°C

-  Potassium dichromate stored at 2 - 30°C

-  Amies or Stuart transport media stored at 2 - 30°C

-  Zinc PVA stored at 17 - 25°C

-  Intestinal Parasite (IP) Total Fix media at 17 - 25°C

Specimen Transportation

• Ship at the following temperatures:

-  Unfixed stools 2 - 8°C

-  Specimens in C & S culture transport media 2 - 30°C

-  Specimens in Potassium dichromate 2 - 30°C

• Ship the following specimens  at 17 - 25°C:

-  Zinc PVA

-  Intestinal parasite (IP) Total Fix bottle 

• Ship frozen samples at (-20) to (-70)ºC.

• All infectious substance shipments must conform to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR 49 C.F.R. Parts 171-180). 

• Unsatisfactory specimens include, but may not be limited to:

-  Specimen was broken or leaked in transit

-  Specimens with interfering substances present such as bismuth, barium,       mineral oil, gall-bladder dyes, urine, water, or dirt

-  No specimen was in the container submitted

-  Stools submitted in formalin

 -  Stools older than one (1) month after collection

 -  Specimens that are incorrectly labeled or contain discrepancies between       the test requisition and the specimen container

-   Specimen containers that are overfilled

• Nashville