Where can a skin scraping for scabies mite be submitted? - briefly
«Skin scraping» for scabies mite should be sent to a dermatology or clinical microbiology laboratory for microscopic examination.
Where can a skin scraping for scabies mite be submitted? - in detail
A skin scraping intended for identification of Sarcoptes scabiei must be directed to a facility equipped for microscopic examination and, when required, molecular confirmation. Acceptable destinations include:
- Dermatology or infectious‑disease clinics that maintain an on‑site laboratory capable of preparing mineral oil mounts and performing direct microscopy.
- Hospital pathology departments with a parasitology unit; these units routinely receive skin scrapings, stain them with iodine or Giemsa, and report findings to the referring clinician.
- Public‑health laboratories operated by regional health authorities; they provide standardized processing, quality‑controlled reporting, and may forward specimens to national reference centres for confirmatory testing.
- Commercial reference laboratories specializing in dermatologic parasitology; they accept mailed specimens, offer turnaround‑time guarantees, and can perform PCR assays for species‑level identification.
- Academic research laboratories with expertise in ectoparasite diagnostics; they often collaborate with clinicians for detailed morphological or genetic analysis.
Specimen handling requirements are uniform across all destinations: place fresh material on a glass slide with a drop of mineral oil, cover with a coverslip, and seal promptly to preserve mite morphology. If transport is necessary, place the slide in a sealed container with a moist gauze pad to prevent desiccation, and ship at ambient temperature within 24 hours. For laboratories that accept unfixed samples, include a short note specifying the suspected diagnosis and any prior treatment, as topical scabicidal agents may reduce mite visibility.
Choosing the appropriate submission site depends on availability of on‑site microscopy, the need for advanced molecular testing, and local public‑health reporting obligations. In all cases, verify that the receiving laboratory follows biosafety protocols for handling infectious skin specimens.