Diagnostic Procedures
All assays for molecular, serological, morphological identification, or characterization of parasitic diseases—and Trichomonas susceptibility testing—at CDC are temporarily offline and turn-around time is delayed. Diagnostic testing through CDC is expected to resume soon. CDC offers consultation regarding other options in the absence of diagnostic testing at CDC for some parasitic diseases.
DPDx is an education resource designed for health professionals and laboratory scientists. For an overview including prevention and control visit www.cdc.gov/parasites/.
Please choose from one of the categories below.
- Shipment
- Tissue
- Tissue specimens for free-living amebae
- Isolation of Leishmania organisms
- Sputum
- Aspirates
- Sputum, induced sputum, and bronchoalveolar avage (BAL) for Pneumocystis jirovecii
- Vaginal swabs for diagnosis and susceptibility of Trichomonas
- Cellulose tape or swube tube procedure for demonstration of pinworm eggs
- Urine
- Whole Organisms
Blood Specimens
Malaria
- Preparation of blood smears pdf icon[PDF, 77 KB]
- Staining for malaria parasites pdf icon[PDF, 44 KB]
- Laboratory diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum pdf icon[PDF, 127 KB]
- Laboratory diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax pdf icon[PDF, 166 KB]
- Laboratory diagnosis of Plasmodium ovale pdf icon[PDF, 165 KB]
- Laboratory diagnosis of Plasmodium malariae pdf icon[PDF, 149 KB]
- Calculating percent parasitemia and life cycle of Plasmodium species pdf icon[PDF, 80 KB]
- Comparison of the Plasmodium Species Which Cause Human Malaria pdf icon[PDF, 28 KB]
- Plasmodium spp. Blood Stage Parasites, Thick Blood Smears pdf icon[PDF, 938 KB]
- Plasmodium spp. Blood Stage Parasites, Thin Blood Smears pdf icon[PDF file: 512 KB]
- Planches pour le Diagnostic microscopique du paludisme pdf icon[PDF file: 885 KB]
Babesiosis
Filariasis
- Introduction and Characteristics of common human filarial parasites pdf icon[PDF, 435 KB]
- Plate 1 — Wuchereria bancrofti, Loa loa pdf icon[PDF, 352 KB]
- Plate 2 — Brugia malayi, Brugia timori pdf icon[PDF, 467 KB]
- Plate 3 — Mansonella perstans, Mansonella ozzardi pdf icon[PDF, 598 KB]
- Plate 4 — Techniques, artifacts, oddities pdf icon[PDF, 545 KB]
- Plate 5 — Onchocerca volvulus, Mansonella streptocerca pdf icon[PDF, 490 KB]
Stool Specimens
- Key Points for Laboratory Identification of Cyclospora sp., Cryptosporidium sp., and Cystoisospora belli pdf icon[PDF, 109 KB]
- Key Points for Laboratory Diagnosis of Cyclosporiasis pdf icon[PDF, 177 KB]
- Key Points for Laboratory Diagnosis of Cystoisosporiasis pdf icon[PDF, 170 KB]
- Laboratory Diagnosis of Amebiasis pdf icon[PDF, 131 KB]
- Laboratory Diagnosis of Blastocystis hominis infection pdf icon[PDF, 72 KB]
- Laboratory Diagnosis of Cryptosporidiosis pdf icon[PDF, 144 KB]
- Laboratory Diagnosis of Giardiasis pdf icon[PDF, 93 KB]
DPDx is an educational resource designed for health professionals and laboratory scientists. For an overview including prevention, control, and treatment visit www.cdc.gov/parasites/.