The University of Iowa (UIHC)
Department of Pathology
LABORATORY SERVICES HANDBOOK


Tetanus Antibody, IgG (Pre/Post Immunization)
Order Code: TETNUS
Order Form: A-1a Miscellaneous Request or IPR Req
  Commercial "Mail-out" Laboratory
6240 RCP
356-3527
Specimen
Serum
Collection Medium:
Red top tube
Minimum:
Recommended minimum: 1 mL serum
Absolute minimum:    0.5 mL serum
Pediatric minimum:   0.15 mL serum
Analytic Time:
4 working days
Reference Range:
Antibody concentration of > 0.1 IU/mL is usually considered protective.
Comments:
Include patient immunization status (pre or post immunization) on 
requisition.  Analysis includes both the Pre and Post status if paired 
specimens were submitted.

"Pre" and "post" vaccination samples will be submitted together for 
testing. "Post" sample should be drawn 30 days after immunization and, 
if shipped separately, must be received within 60 days of "pre" sample. 
Please clearly mark samples "Pre-Vaccine" or "Post-Vaccine" so that 
samples will be saved and tested simultaneously.
Test
Limitations:
Responder status is determined according to the ratio of a one-month 
post-vaccination sample to pre-vaccination concentration of Tetanus IgG 
Abs as follows:

1. If the post-vaccination concentration is less than 1.0 IU, the
   patient is considered a nonresponder.
2. If the post-vaccination concentration is greater than or equal to
   1.0 IU, a patient with a ratio of less than 1.5 is a nonresponder,
   a ratio of 1.5 to less than 3.0, a weak responder, and a ratio of
   3.0 or greater, a good responder.
3. If the pre-vaccination concentration is greater than 1.0, it may be
   difficult to assess the response based on a ratio alone.  A
   post-vaccination concentration above 2.5 IU in this case is usually
   adequate.
Methodology:
Multi-Analyte Fluorescent Detection
CPT Code:
86317

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Updated: 05/30/2007

Note: The information contained in this handbook is for use by personnel of University of Iowa Health Care. No other use is implied or intended.