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Test ID TRCNG Trichinella Antibody, IgG, Serum


Specimen Required


Collection Container/Tube:

Preferred: Serum gel

Acceptable: Red top

Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions: Centrifuge and aliquot serum into plastic vial.


Useful For

As an adjunct in the diagnosis of trichinosis

Method Name

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)

Reporting Name

Trichinella Ab, IgG, S

Specimen Type

Serum

Specimen Minimum Volume

0.4 mL

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Serum Frozen (preferred) 30 days
  Refrigerated  5 days

Reject Due To

Gross hemolysis Reject
Gross lipemia Reject
Heat-inactivated Reject

Clinical Information

Trichinosis is an infection by the nematode parasite, Trichinella spiralis. The infection is acquired by ingestion of larvae in inadequately cooked, contaminated meat, especially pork, bear, and walrus meat. After ingestion, acid-pepsin digestion in the stomach liberates the larvae, which develop into adult worms in the small intestine. After fertilization, the female worm produces larvae that penetrate the mucosa and seed the skeletal muscles via the blood stream. The larvae coil and encyst in muscle fibers, remaining viable for up to several years.

 

Diarrhea is the most common symptom associated with intestinal infection with adult worms. Fever, periorbital swelling, muscle pain and swelling, pulmonary symptoms, and rash develop during systemic invasion by the larvae.

Reference Values

Negative

Reference values apply to all ages.

Interpretation

Positive:

Results are suggestive of current or past infection with Trichinella spiralis. Results should be used in conjunction with clinical, epidemiologic and other laboratory tests to diagnose current infection.

 

Borderline:

Recommend follow-up testing in 10 to 14 days if clinically indicated

 

Negative:

No antibodies to Trichinella spiralis detected. Repeat testing in 2 to 3 weeks if clinically indicated.

Cautions

Antibodies to Trichinella spiralis may not be detectable until 3 weeks after the onset of infection. Therefore, negative results in suspicious cases should be followed by repeat testing in several weeks.

 

Sensitivity of the test may also be affected by the level of invasive disease, with patients who have lower parasitic loads having a greater risk of being negative by the assay.

 

Cross reactions with antibodies against Toxocara canis are possible.

Clinical Reference

1. Grove DI: Tissue nematodes. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. Vol 2. 4th ed. Churchill Livingstone; 1995:2531-2537

2. Pasternack MS: Myositis and myonecrosis. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Elsevier; 2020:1307-1316

Method Description

Microtiter strip wells are precoated with Trichinella spiralis ES-antigens (excretory/secretory antigens) to bind corresponding antibodies of the specimen. After washing the wells to remove all unbound sample material horseradish peroxidase-labelled protein A conjugate is added. This conjugate binds to the captured Trichinella spiralis-specific antibodies. The immune complex formed by the bound conjugate is visualized by adding tetramethylbenzidine substrate, which gives a blue reaction product. The intensity of this product is proportional to the amount of Trichinella spiralis specific antibodies in the specimen. Sulfuric acid is added to stop the reaction. This produces a yellow end point color. Absorbance alternative 450 nm is read using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay microwell plate reader.(Package insert: Trichinella spiralis ELISA IgG. Gold Standard Diagnostics; 11/02/2021)

Day(s) Performed

Thursday

Report Available

1 to 7 days

Test Classification

This test has been cleared, approved, or is exempt by the US Food and Drug Administration and is used per manufacturer's instructions. Performance characteristics were verified by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.

CPT Code Information

86784

NY State Approved

Yes

Forms

If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send an Infectious Disease Serology Test Request (T916) with the specimen.