Geisinger Medical Laboratories Test Catalog
CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS ANTIBODY (IGM) |
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Geisinger Epic Procedure Code: LAB1985
Geisinger Epic ID: 22834
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SPECIMEN COLLECTION |
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Specimen type: |
Serum | |
Preferred collection container: |
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Alternate Collection Container: |
6 mL red-top (plain, non-serum separator) tube
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Specimen required: |
1 mL aliquot serum; minimum 0.1 mL. | |
SPECIMEN PROCESSING |
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Specimen processing instructions: |
Allow to clot. Centrifuge 10 minutes at 3000 rpm. | |
Transport temperature: |
Refrigerated (preferred). Room temperature or frozen specimen also acceptable. | |
Specimen stability: |
Room Temperature: 7 days. Refrigerated: 14 days. Frozen: 30 days. | |
Rejection criteria: |
Stability limits exceeded. | |
TEST DETAILS |
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Interpretation guide: |
IgM titers of 1:10 or greater are indicative of recent infection. However, anti-chlamydial IgM is very cross-reactive and may demonstrate titers to more than one species. | |
CPT code(s): |
86632 | |
Note: The billing party has sole responsibility for CPT coding. Any questions regarding coding should be directed to the payer being billed. The CPT codes provided by GML are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only. | ||
Test includes: |
Chlamydia trachomatis antibody, IgM. | |
Methodology: |
Immunofluorescence Assay |
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Synonyms: |
CHTIGM, Quest test code 5157
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Clinical significance: |
Chlamydia trachomatis is associated with infections of the mucous membranes of the urogenital system, the upper respiratory tract, and the eye. The usefulness of serological tests depends on the site of infection, duration of disease, infecting serovars and previous exposure to chlamydial antigens. Because C. trachomatis is ubiquitous, there is a high prevalence of antibodies in sexually active populations. Individuals may be reinfected and IgM antibodies may not appear. IgG antibodies may persist even after treatment, making assessment of a single IgG titer difficult. Consequently, serological diagnosis is seldom used to diagnose genital tract infections. Instead, Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT) or culture should be considered to detect chlamydia trachomatis. Culture can also be used to diagnose infant respiratory infection or conjunctivitis. |