Test for Parasites:
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 stool test for parasites covers most relevant parasites. For limitations of this test, please see bottom of this page or/and download our information pdf Parasites which would be detected in a stool tes.pdf. 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 to have a look at their stool. How is its colour and consistency? Can they detect mucous or blood or can they even see little moving bits? 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
- 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
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