Diphtheria Antitoxin, Blood - Saskatoon

Overview

Description

Ordering Recommendation

• See Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory (RRPL) Compendium of Tests webpage to ensure specimen and requisition requirements are met prior to collection.

Alias

•  Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Specimen Information

Specimen types accepted

• Serum

Specimen collection container

• Preferred Collection Container: Gold (Gel) Tube 5.0 mL
• Alternative Collection Container: Red (Clot Activator) 4.0 mL

Required volume

• Optimal Volume: 8.5 mL
• Minimum Volume: 2.0 mL

(Submitting the minimum volume makes it impossible to repeat the test or perform confirmatory/reflex testing. In some situations, a minimum volume may require a second collection.)

Transport and stability

• Refrigerate if blood cannot be transported or separated immediately 
• Blood must be spun (gel) or serum removed from cells (red) within six (6) hours of collection
• Refrigerate serum up to 72 hours, then ship on ice pack
• After 72 hours, freeze serum at -10°C or colder, then ship on dry ice

Rejection criteria

• Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Acceptance and Rejection Criteria

Testing Information

Clinical interpretation

• Testing information not provided on AHS website

Performance

Days/times performed

Availability	Shipped daily Monday to Sunday to Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory (RRPL), Regina
Testing site	Provincial Laboratory of Public Health, Edmonton

 

Maximum laboratory time

Results reporting

• Testing information not provided on AHS website

Last Updated: June 12, 2026