Test Details

Mnemonic

HELPY

Ordering Code

3700454

CPT-4 Code(s)

87338

Specimen Information

Patient Preparation

For initial diagnostic purposes no special preparation is required. Patients are not required to be off of medications or to fast before this test. While positive test results from patients taking agents such as proton pump inhibitors and antimicrobials should be considered accurate, false negative results may be obtained. For this reason, physicians may suggest the patient go off medications for two weeks and repeat test if negative results are obtained. To confirm eradication, testing should be done at least 4 weeks following the completion of treatment. However, a positive test result 7 days post therapy is indicative of treatment failure. This test is cleared for use with specimens from pediatric patients.

Collect

Stool

Specimen Preparation

Collect 0.5 mL or 0.5 grams of semi-solid stool or 20 mm diameter stool and send frozen in a
screw capped polypropylene container. Please contact Warde Lab for polypropylene screw capped containers for shipping frozen stool. Polystyrene containers are unacceptable for frozen
shipping.

Alternate Specimen

Cary-Blair stool culture transport medium

Minimum Volume

0.5 mL or 0.5 g semi solid stool, 20 mm solid stool

Transport Temperature

Unpreserved: Frozen
Cary-Blair: Room temperature

Rejection Criteria

Watery, diarrheal stool, stool in preservative, transport media or swab

Stability

Unpreserved:
Room temperature: 4 days
Refrigerated: 4 days
Frozen: 14 days

Cary-Blair:
Room temperature: 4 days
Refrigerated: 4 days
Frozen: Unacceptable

Methodology

Immunoassay
more

Reference Range

See report
more

Performing Laboratory

Quest
more

New York DOH Approval Status

Yes
more