Brucella Antibody (Total) by Agglutination

Label Mnemonic:	BRUC
Epic code:	LAB7523
Downtime form:	Doctor/Provider Orders - Pathology Core and Specialty Care Nursery

Commercial Mailout Laboratory
6240-8 RCP
356-8593

Specimen(s):

Serum

Specimen Instructions:

Parallel testing is preferred and convalescent specimens must be received within 30 days from receipt of the acute specimens. Please mark specimen plainly as "acute" or "convalescent."

Collection Medium:

Red top tube 5 mL (Clot Activator)

Minimum:

Preferred Minimum: 1 mL serum
Absolute Minimum: 0.3 mL serum

Rejection Criteria:

Severely lipemic, contaminated, hemolyzed, or heat-inactivated specimens.

Turn Around Time:

4 working days upon receipt at reference laboratory

Reference Range:

< 1:20 Negative

Interpretive Data:

Cross-reactions may occur between Brucella and F. tularensis antigens and antisera; therefore, parallel tests should be run with these antigens. A fourfold rise in titer is considered diagnostic. A single serum titer of 1:80 or 1:160 is suggestive of brucellosis when accompanied by a compatible clinical course in a patient with a history of potential exposures.

Methodology:

Semi-Quantitative Agglutination

CPT Code:

86622