Test ID: STLP
St. Louis Encephalitis Antibody, IgG and IgM, Serum
Secondary ID 
A test code used for billing and in test definitions created prior to November 2011
NY State Approved Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.
Useful For Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful
Aiding in the diagnosis of St. Louis encephalitis
Testing Algorithm Delineates situation(s) when tests are added to the initial order. This includes reflex and additional tests.
Method Name A short description of the method used to perform the test
Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA)
Reporting Name A shorter/abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test; an abbreviated test name
Aliases Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching
Encephalitis Antibodies
Flavivirus (Old Arbovirus, Group B)
Saint Louis Encephalitis Antibodies
St Louis Encephalitis (SLE)
Specimen Type Describes the specimen type needed for testing
Specimen Required Defines the optimal specimen. This field describes the type of specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing. The volume allows automated processing, fastest throughput and, when indicated, repeat or reflex testing.
Container/Tube:
Preferred: Red top
Acceptable: Serum gel
Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL
Specimen Minimum Volume Defines the amount of specimen required to perform an assay once, including instrument and container dead space. Submitting the minimum specimen volume makes it impossible to repeat the test or perform confirmatory or perform reflex testing. In some situations, a minimum specimen volume may result in a QNS (quantity not sufficient) result, requiring a second specimen to be collected.
Reject Due To Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected
| Hemolysis | Mild OK; Gross reject |
| Lipemia | Mild OK; Gross reject |
| Icterus | NA |
| Other | NA |
Specimen Stability Information Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the laboratory. Alternate acceptable temperature(s) are also included.
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Serum | Refrigerated (preferred) | 14 days |
| Frozen | 14 days |
Clinical Information Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test
Onset is characterized by generalized malaise, fever, chilliness, headache, drowsiness, nausea, and sore throat or cough followed in 1 to 4 days by the meningeal and neurologic signs. The severity of illness increases with advancing age; persons over 60 years have the highest frequency of encephalitis. Symptoms of irritability, sleeplessness, depression, memory loss, and headaches can last up to 3 years. Areas of outbreaks since 1933 have involved the western United States, Texas, the Ohio-Mississippi Valley, and Florida. The vector of transmission is the mosquito. Peak incidence of St. Louis encephalitis is associated with summer and early autumn.
Reference Values Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.
IgG: <1:10
IgM: <1:10
Interpretation Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results
In patients with this virus, IgG antibody is generally detectable within 1 to 3 weeks of onset, peaking within 1 to 2 months, and declining slowly thereafter.
IgM class antibody is also reliably detected within 1 to 3 weeks of onset, peaking and rapidly declining within 3 months.
Single serum specimen IgG > or =1:10 indicates exposure to the virus.
Results from a single serum specimen can differentiate early (acute) infection from past infection with immunity if IgM is positive (suggests acute infection).
A 4-fold or greater rise in IgG antibody titer in acute and convalescent sera indicate recent infection.
Infections with St. Louis encephalitis can occur at any age. The age distribution depends on the degree of exposure to the particular transmitting arthropod relating to age and sex, as well as the occupational, vocational, and recreational habits of the individuals. Once humans have been infected, the severity of the host response may be influenced by age: St. Louis encephalitis tends to produce the most severe clinical infections in older persons. Infection among males is primarily due to working conditions and sports activity taking place where the vector is present.
Cautions Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances
All results must be correlated with clinical history and other data available to the attending physician.
Specimens drawn within the first 2 weeks after onset are variably negative for IgG antibody and should not be used to exclude the diagnosis of St. Louis encephalitis (SLE). If SLE is suspected, a second specimen should be drawn and tested 10 to 21 days later.
Since cross-reactivity with dengue fever does occur with SLE antigens, and, therefore, cannot be differentiated further. The specific virus responsible for such a titer may be deduced by the travel history of the patient, along with available medical and epidemiological data, unless the virus can be isolated.
Usually, when an infection with an arbovirus is suspected, it is too late to isolate the virus or draw serum specimens to detect a rise of antibody titer.
Clinical Reference Provides recommendations for further in-depth reading of a clinical nature
1. Gonzalez-Scarano F, Nathanson N: Bunyaviruses. In Fields Virology. Vol. 1. 2nd edition. Edited by BN Fields, DM Knipe. New York, Raven Press, 1990, pp 1195-1228
2. Donat JF, Hable-Rhodes KH, Groover RV, Smith TF: Etiology and outcome in 42 children with acute nonbacterial meningoencephalitis. Mayo Clin Proc 1980;55:156-160
3. Tsai TF: Arboviruses. In Manual of Clinical Microbiology. 7th edition. Edited by PR Murray, EJ Baron, MA Pfaller, et al. Washington, DC, American Society for Microbiology, 1999, pp 1107-1124
4. Calisher CH: Medically important arboviruses of the United States and Canada. Clin Microbiol Rev 1994;7:89-116
Method Description Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference
Indirect immunofluorescence. Dilutions of test sera are prepared and allowed to react with substrate cells infected with St. Louis encephalitis virus. If IgG antibodies to the virus are present in the serum of the patient, an antigen-antibody complex will develop that can be detected by a fluorescein-labeled antibody directed to human globulin. (Tsai TF: Arboviruses. In Manual of Clinical Microbiology. 7th edition. Edited by PR Murray, EJ Baron, MA Pfaller, et al. Washington, DC, American Society for Microbiology, 1999, pp 1107-1124; Beatty BJ, Casals J, Brown KL, et al: Indirect fluorescent-antibody technique for serological diagnosis of LaCrosse [California] virus infections. J Clin Microbiol 1982;15:429-434)
Day(s) and Time(s) Test Performed Outlines the days and times the test is performed. This field reflects the day and time the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time required before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means assays are performed several times during the day.
Monday through Friday; 9 a.m.
Analytic Time Defines the amount of time it takes the laboratory to setup and perform the test. This is defined in number of days. The shortest interval of time expressed is "same day/1 day," which means the results may be available the same day that the sample is received in the testing laboratory. One day means results are available 1 day after the sample is received in the laboratory.
Maximum Laboratory Time Defines the maximum time from specimen receipt at Mayo Medical Laboratories until the release of the test result
Specimen Retention Time Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded
Performing Laboratory Location The location of the laboratory that performs the test
Test Classification Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer's instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR), Investigation Use Only (IUO) product, or a Research Use Only (RUO) product.
CPT Code Information Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Medical Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.
86653 x 2
LOINC® Code Information Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the result codes returned for this test or profile.
| Result ID | Reporting Name | LOINC Code |
|---|---|---|
| 8182 | St. Louis Enceph Ab, IgG, S | 10906-6 |
| 87268 | St. Louis Enceph Ab, IgM, S | 42965-4 |
External
link
PDF
document
Excel
document
Word
document