Specimen:

Various

Collection Medium:

Minimum:

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Blood
Draw blood in a lavender-top (EDTA) tube(s), and send 1.0 mL of EDTA
whole blood refrigerated in a screw-capped, sterile vial. Maintain 
sterility and forward promptly. The high sensitivity of amplification 
by PCR requires the specimen to be processed in an environment in which 
contamination of the specimen by Tropheryma whipplei  DNA is not 
likely.

Spinal Fluid or Synovial Fluid
0.5 mL of spinal fluid or 0.5 mL of synovial fluid. (Green-top 
[heparin] tube is not acceptable.) Send specimen refrigerated in a 
screw-capped, sterile vial. Maintain sterility and forward promptly. 
Specimens grossly contaminated with blood may inhibit the PCR and 
produce false-negative results. The high sensitivity of amplification 
by PCR requires the specimen to be processed in an environment in which 
contamination of the specimen by Tropheryma whipplei  DNA is not 
likely.

Biopsy
Send fresh gastrointestinal biopsy specimen (5 mm) frozen in a 
screw-capped, sterile, plastic container.  Maintain sterility and 
forward promptly.  Frozen specimen preferred, but refrigerated specimen 
is acceptable if received within 48 hours of collection.  Specimens 
grossly contaminated with blood may inhibit the PCR and produce 
false-negative results.  The high sensitivity of amplification by PCR 
requires the specimen to be processed in an environment in which 
contamination of the specimen by Tropheryma whipplei DNA is not likely.

Note:  A biopsy specimen of the small intestine, lymph node, or other 
visceral tissue fixed in a paraffin block is also acceptable.

Delivery Instructions:

Submit specimen to laboratory as soon as possible after
collection period is completed.

Testing Schedule:

Weekly

Analytic Time:

Test performed at reference laboratory on Tuesday only.

Reference Range:

Negative

Methodology:

Rapid Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

CPT Code:

87798