Parasites – What are they?
For a long time parasites seemed to be a problem of the past or occasionally found in foreign countries. Recently, however, it is clear that parasites have made a come back. Certainly holidays in countries, where hygiene is not as sophisticated as here are contributing to a higher infection rate. People can infect themselves with parasites when eating contaminated meat or fish. Flies, for example, can carry worm eggs onto food. Protozoa, for example, can be found in salad which has been washed in contaminated water. Animal faeces can be another infection source.
How does the test work?
The laboratory uses a special concentration method to detect worm eggs and larva as well as cysts of protozoa in a single stool sample. This covers most relevant parasites. Protozoa cysts are very resistant, so that even after the postal transport this is a very reliable detection method. At the same time practitioners have to remind patients that they have a look at their stool. How is its colour and consistency? Can they detect mucous or blood or can they even see movement? Worm fragments can sometimes move and tape worms, for example, are easily visible because of their size.
Patient/Practitioner Benefit
- A safe diagnosis for possibly very unspecific symptoms
- Easy monitoring of therapy success
Clinical Applications
Infections with parasites can be very difficult to diagnose, as these infections can go without clear symptoms for years. Some patients, however, can have very severe symptoms. The test may be applicable for patients who present some of the following symptoms
- persistent diarrhoea or alternating diarrhoea and constipation
- attacks of sweating or feeling cold
- fever
- colic like pains
- hunger attacks which alternate with times of no appetite
- persistent cough
- weight loss
- anal itching
- anaemia
- symptoms following foreign travel
Sample Requirements
Single stool sample.
To download a leaflet on parasites as a pdf please click the link below