Malaria Parasite Microscopy (Thick & Thin Film)

Collect venous blood into the specified EDTA or whole-blood tube, fill to the required level and mix gently by inversion immediately after collection. Keep the tube capped and upright; do not submit clotted, leaking or grossly haemolysed material. Place the labelled tube in a sealed biohazard specimen bag with sufficient absorbent material and protect it from heat, direct sunlight and freezing. Deliver to the laboratory as soon as practical so cellular integrity is maintained for this test. For Malaria Parasite Microscopy (Thick & Thin Film), use packaging and preservation compatible with Microscopy; if the receiving laboratory supplies a dedicated collection kit, bottle or transport medium, that kit takes precedence over general packaging guidance.

3 Days

Mon 3 - Fri 2

For Malaria Parasite Microscopy (Thick & Thin Film), provide the date of symptom onset or suspected exposure, relevant vaccination status where applicable, and any antimicrobial or antiviral treatment already started. Very early or late sampling can affect detectability, and a negative result may not exclude infection when the target is below the method's detection limit. Follow infection-control precautions during collection and do not combine specimens from different sites unless the laboratory specifically requests it.