Can my lab work be sent directly to CDC?
No. CDC is a reference lab for the 50 states and their individual health labs. This means that CDC cannot accept specimens unless they are sent by your state health lab.
Where should lab specimens be sent for testing?
Blood testing is done by a variety of labs. Your health care provider will decide where to send the blood samples to.
Diagnosis of any stool parasite may be difficult; by submitting several stool specimens, your chance of being diagnosed correctly is higher than by submitting just one sample. If you receive a negative lab report, your physician may choose to send another sample to a different lab for confirmation.
Is it true that labs in the United States cannot diagnose parasites?
No. Labs throughout the United States are qualified to diagnose parasitic infections. Some labs have more experience than others or use various tests for the same parasite. Therefore, your health care provider may have more than one lab look at a sample if the suspicion of a parasitic infection is strong.