Rickettsia Serology

This test is referred to another lab outside our network
This does not affect where samples are sent and where your results are issued.
Description: 
Sample sent to PHE Porton Down RIPL referral laboratory for Rickettsia serology testing. Travel history, occupational history, and insect / animal contact history is necessary to select the correct investigations.
Clinical details: 
Rickettsia are small bacteria which are spread by insects or ticks from other animals to humans. Rickettsial infections commonly cause fever, myalgia, and rash. There are many rickettsial species which occur in different geographic locations. Therefore, exposure history, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic tests differ.
Related condition or disease: 
Typhus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, African tick bite fever, Eschar, Travel
Synonyms or keywords: 
Rickettsia, Typhus, Spotted fever, Orientia tsutsugamushi
Department: 
Infection Sciences Department
Location: 
St Thomas' Hospital
Sample type and Volume required: 
500 ul serum or 2.5 – 5ml Yellow Top Serum Separation Tube (SST) Clotted Blood (for serum).
Turnaround time: 
14 days
Criteria for acceptance / rejections of sample
Storage and transport: 
Place labelled sample in a sealed sample bag and send to Central Specimen Reception (CSR). To prevent sample haemolysis please store samples in refrigerator if a delay in sending samples to CSR is unavoidable.
Contacts:
Infection Sciences Department at St Thomas' Hospital
020 7188 8008
St Thomas' Hospital
North Wing - 5th Floor
Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7EH
Core opening hours: Monday-Friday 0900-1730


For clinical advice or interpretation of results, please contact the laboratory in the first instance.
Laboratory: 
Virology Laboratory at St Thomas'

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Last updated: 24/11/2017