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3. Laboratory Schedule
Generally, specimen processing is begun on the day of receipt. Specimens that require microscopy only, will often have results available that same day whereas investigations normally processed in batches or requiring culture will take variable periods of time. When complete, final reports are typed and posted the same or next working day - interim reports are available upon request.
Results of any urgent investigations will be telephoned to the requesting laboratory immediately.
As a guideline:-
Malaria:-
Diagnosis by blood film and/or immunochromatographic techniques:
processed in the Malaria Reference Laboratory fully on day of receipt -
results reported same or next working day.
PCR may take from 2 - 10 working days to obtain a result.
Acanthamoeba antibodies:-
Specimens are usually considered of an urgent nature and tested on day of receipt.
Intestinal Parasitology:-
Specimen processing takes between 1 and 5 days, depending upon the range
of investigations required for each specimen (for example, concentration,
specific staining, microscopy, ELISA/PCR, amoebic culture).
When complete, final results are reported same or next working day- interim
reports available upon request or when considered necessary by the
parasitology laboratory.
Acanthamoeba culture:-
Culture generally takes one week, microscopy results, where applicable, available in the interim.
Entomology-
This is variable depending upon specimen but normally 2 - 5 days
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