MVista® COCCIDIOIDES ANTIBODY IgG IgM EIA

• Test Code

  325

• CPT Code

  86635 x2

• Clinical Significance
  IgM and IgG antibodies to Coccidioides antigen usually appear during the first month of infection, decline over the next 3-6 months but remain detectable for approximately 18-24 months in some cases with self-limited illnesses. Antibodies may persist in patients with chronic pulmonary complications or progressive extrapulmonary (disseminated) coccidioidomycosis. Antibodies may be falsely-negative in some progressive or chronic cases. Follow-up testing maybe considered at weeks 2 – 4 to determine if antibody levels are increasing especially in patients with low positive (10 EU – 20 EU) or intermediate results. Increase in antibody concentration would suggest recent infection. Antibodies may also be detected in healthy subjects who are asymptomatic as a result of sub-clinical infection within the last 18 – 36 months.
• Methodology
  Semi-Quantitative Indirect Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA)
• Limitations
  • 8% cross reactivity with Blastomycosis
  • 36% cross reactivity with Histoplasmosis
• Specimen Collection

  Serum: Collect serum specimens in serum separator or red top tube. Allow blood to clot for 30 minutes, then centrifuge. Pipette serum into a plastic screw cap vial.

  CSF: Sterile transport tube

• Minimum Specimen Requirements

  Serum/CSF: 0.5 mL

• Specimen Stability
  • Refrigerated: 14 days
  • Frozen: 14 days
• Specimen Rejection

  Any specimen types other than serum or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

• Transport Temperature

  Refrigerated/Frozen

• Shipping

  Ship on dry ice to arrive Monday‐Friday using a next day delivery service. Frozen ice packs may be substituted if sample is shipped the day of collection.

• Turnaround Time

  Testing performed Mondays and Thursdays.

  Serum or CSF: TAT reported next day

• Reference Range

  Negative

• Interpretative Information
  • Negative: <8.0 EU
  • Intermediate: 8.0 EU – 9.9 EU
  • Positive: 10.0 EU – >80.0 EU