
Toxocara – Serology
Specimen Requirements
Test Requested | Required Requisition(s) | Specimen Type | Minimum Volume | Collection Kit |
Toxocariasis, Visceral, or Ocular Larva migrans, or Toxocara canis, or Toxocara cati, or Toxocara serology |
Whole blood or serum |
5.0 ml whole blood or 1.0 ml serum |
Vacutainer tubes (SST) |
Submission and Collection Notes
Provide symptoms, onset date, and other pertinent clinical information on the General Test Requisition Form if diagnostic testing is required.
Limitations
Haemolysed, icteric, lipemic or microbially contaminated sera or plasma are not recommended for testing.
Preparation Prior to Transport
Label the specimen container with the patient’s full name, date of collection and one other unique identifier such as the patient’s date of birth or Health Card Number. Failure to provide this information may result in rejection or testing delay.
Special Instructions
Centrifuge if using SST. Place specimen in biohazard bag and seal.
Test Frequency and Turnaround Time (TAT)
Toxocara serology testing is performed once per week.
Turnaround time is up to 10 days from receipt by PHO laboratory.
Reporting
Results are reported to the ordering physician or health care provider as indicated on the requisition.
Toxocara IgG serology testing is performed by Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) methodology.
Interpretation
Sample OD 0.3-1.0 May reflect past infection
Sample OD >1.0 Correlated to high titre toxocariasis
Patients with early primary infections may exhibit a low or undetectable IgG response and therefore convalescent sample is recommended.
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