Specimen Requirements

Container/Tube: Sterile container (10% formalin or 70% alcohol may be added if appropriate specimen type)

Specimen Type: Parasitic worms, insects, or mites

Specimen Volume: Entire specimen

Collection Instructions:

1. For scabies, submit skin scrapings on glass microscope slide. Scrapings are best performed at the end of the burrows in non-excoriated and non-inflamed areas using a sterile scalpel blade containing a drop of mineral oil. The mineral oil enhances the adherence of the mites to the blade and can then be transferred to a glass slide. An additional 1-2 drops of mineral oil can be added to the slide.  Cover with a clean slide and use a rubber band to hold the 2 slides together (do not tape). Place the slides in a clean, dry container for transport. If no slides are available at time of collection, the dry skin scraping, collected with mineral oil,  can be submitted in a sterile container and will be placed on slide at time of examination. Skin scraping must be visible with the naked eye to be of a quantity sufficient for testing.

2. Submit whole worms and worm segments in 70% alcohol or formalin. Worms must be clean of stool to be suitable for examination.

3. Submit arthropods (ticks, lice, nits, bed bugs, etc) in a clean, dry container. Do not wrap in tape, gauze, or tissue that might obscure them during examination.