Lyme Disease by PCR
Test Mnemonic
LYPCR
CPT Codes
- 87476 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
4991-6
Aliases
- Borrelia burgdorferi by PCR
- Borrelia sp. by PCR
Performing Laboratory
ARUP
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | Plasma | EDTA (Lavender) | Frozen | Centrifuge, transfer plasma to a sterile container and freeze |
Alternate Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) | Sterile container | Frozen | ||
| 1 mL | Fluid, synovial | Sterile container | Frozen | ||
| 1 mL | Serum | SST (Gold) | Frozen | Centrifuge, transfer serum to a sterile container and freeze | |
| N/A | Tissue | Sterile container | Frozen | Transfer tissue to sterile container and freeze immediately. Specimen source required. Do not send tissues in optimal cutting temperature compound. |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mL | All specimen types except tissue |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | 8 hours (serum, plasma, CSF); Unacceptable (tissue) |
| Refrigerated | 3 days (serum, plasma, CSF); Unacceptable (tissue) |
| Frozen | 1 year |
Days Performed
Mon, Wed, Fri
Turnaround Time
2 - 5 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) |
Reference Range
Special Info
Specimen source is required. Heparinized specimens and tissues in optimal cutting temperature compound are unacceptable. This test is New York DOH approved.
Clinical Info
Not a first-line test for Lyme disease. May be useful if strong suspicion of Lyme disease persists in spite of persistent negative serologic testing.