Specimen Requirements

Specimen must arrive within 4 hours of collection.

Contact Huntsville Hospital Microbiology Department at 256-265-2171 if specimen needs to be stored for more than 4 hours.

Specimen Type: Parasitic worms, insects, or mites

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

Specimen Volume: Entire specimen

Collection Instructions:

1. For scabies, apply strips of clear tape to areas suspected of being burrows. Then rapidly pull off tape and apply them to microscope slide.   Transport slides in a clean, dry container.

2. Submit whole worms and worm segments in 70% alcohol or formalin.

3. Submit arthropods (ticks, lice, nits, bed bugs, etc) in a clean, dry container.

Additional Information:

1. Specimen source and isolate description are required: morphology, tests performed, location of specimen, or other pertinent information.

2. Indicate reason for request.