Second quarter 2025. The Lab Medicine Update is a collaboration between the UVA Medical Laboratories and the UVA Medical Laboratory Committee. Feedback on the LMU? Contact Jim Harrison (james.harrison@virginia.edu).
Updated Chagas Disease testing algorithm ↑
The UVA Clinical Microbiology Laboratory has updated its Chagas disease testing protocol in accordance with current CDC recommendations. Diagnosis of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas) infection requires two serologic tests utilizing different methodologies. Due to the CDC no longer offering confirmatory testing, all testing now occurs at Mayo Clinic, which performs two distinct assays to meet CDC guidelines.
There is no change to the test order in Epic or the specimen requirements. Two test results will now be reported per specimen submission, with interpretive comments.
Key points:
- Testing must go through Mayo Clinic; CDC serologic testing is no longer available
- No change to the orderable test in Epic
- TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI (CHAGAS) ANTIBODY PANEL, SERUM [LAB6693]
- No change to the specimen requirements
- Preferred: 3 mL blood in gold top serum separator tube
For questions, or if you encounter discordant results, please contact the Clinical Microbiology director on call at PIC 1221.
The Medical Laboratory Committee seeks new clinical members and a new clinical co-chair ↑
The Medical Laboratory Committee is a cooperative group of clinicians and laboratorians who help manage the UVA Health Medical Laboratory Formulary and provide feedback to the Medical Laboratory and the Health System on laboratory issues. The Committee reviews requests for new sendout or local tests to add to the Lab Formulary, reviews laboratory-related policies and guidelines and recommends updates when appropriate, analyzes laboratory performance data with the goal of optimizing laboratory support of clinical practice, and publishes the Laboratory Medicine Update.
If you are a physician or nurse with an interest in optimizing clinical use of the Medical Laboratory, fitting laboratory offerings to clinical need, improving laboratory ordering or results display, decision support for laboratory orders, or the use of artificial intelligence in laboratory result ordering and interpretation (which is definitely coming), we would love for you to join us. The Medical Laboratory Committee is attended by the overall laboratory director as well as the lab section directors and laboratory administration, and is an excellent forum for clinical communication directly to lab leadership.
Our clinical co-chair for many years, George Hoke, will be stepping down from that position in July so in addition to regular committee members we are interested in identifying a clinician to work with Jim Harrison, our laboratorian co-chair, going forward.
The Medical Laboratory Committee schedules a one hour monthly meeting online (by Zoom), and meets quarterly at a minimum and up to monthly depending on the pending agenda. Either George (gmh4s@uvahealth.org) or Jim (jhh5y@uvahealth.org) would be happy to respond to questions about committee operations and time commitments for membership and the co-chair position.