Serum

Acute and convalescent specimens must be labeled as such; 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."

Preferred Minimum: 1 mL serum in red top tube
Absolute Minimum: 0.2 mL serum in red top tube

Severely lipemic, hemolyzed, heat-inactivated, or contaminated specimens. Any other body fluid.

1-5 days upon receipt at reference laboratory.

Negative: No significant level of Leptospira IgM antibody detected.

Equivocal: Questionable presence of Leptospira IgM antibody detected. Repeat testing in 10-14 days may be helpful.

Positive: Presence of IgM antibody to Leptospira detected, suggestive of a current or recent infection.

Samples interpreted as negative indicate that antibody is not present in the sample, or is below the detection level of the method. Since antibodies may not be present during early disease, confirmation two to three weeks later is recommended. An initially-negative result followed by a positive result indicates IgM seroconversion.

Equivocal specimens should be cautiously interpreted. Further testing with an additional specimen is recommended. If the specimen remains equivocal, a second serological method should be considered if leptospirosis infection is still suspected.

Samples interpreted as positive may indicate the specific antibody. Antibody presence alone cannot be used for diagnosis of acute infection, however, because antibodies from prior exposure may circulate for a prolonged period of time.

Note: A negative result does not rule out the possibility of leptospirosis.

Qualitative Immunoblot

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