Parasitic infections in the body are common phenomena that occur in both children and adults.It occurs more often in children, as they follow less hygiene rules and most parasites are transmitted through the fecal-oral route.
Given that infections are very diverse, their symptoms can be very diverse, and some are completely asymptomatic.For this reason, the diagnosis of parasites in the body sometimes requires a rather large number of tests, which are necessary to make a diagnosis.
Diagnostic basics
In order to identify a parasite infection, you should most often consult a doctor.Since such a lesion usually does not cause much trouble to adults or children, and is associated with non-specific symptoms, the patient often only realizes that he has an infection when he finds worms in his stool.In cases of infection with extraintestinal parasites that are not excreted in the feces (for example, Giardia protozoa, amoeba), the diagnosis is most often made accidentally.
But even if intestinal worms are detected in the feces, the patient should consult a doctor and be examined for parasites.The purpose of this is not only to accurately identify the parasites, but also to determine which type they belong to.
This is necessary so that the most effective and least toxic medicine for the rest of the body is prescribed to treat the infection.Some drugs only work on a certain type of pathogen.Unlike broad-spectrum drugs, they do not have such a pronounced negative effect on the human body.
For this reason, it is advisable to prescribe them after the precise identification of the causative agent of the invasion (for which a parasite test must be performed in adults or children).In addition, the specialist can draw some conclusions when collecting the anamnesis and establishing the characteristic symptoms during the conversation with the patient.However, it is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis this way (especially in adults due to the least seriousness of the symptoms).
For this reason, doctors recommend a blood test to detect parasites.And sometimes a stool analysis is enough.Your doctor will tell you where to test for this indicator.This can be done in a municipal or commercial clinic, as well as directly in the laboratory.
Sampling also has some specifics, which a specialist will inform you about.And how much an infection test costs depends on where it's done and what types of samples are needed to make a diagnosis.
Stool analysis
When talking about what tests should be done to detect parasites, the first thing that comes to mind for most patients is a stool test to detect parasites.Such diagnostics for the presence of helminths are really prescribed by doctors.
This is a simple test that is carried out in any medical institution and laboratory with the appropriate profile.Testing for parasites in this way is the easiest and most non-traumatic.This is especially important when taking a sample from a child.There is no need to visit the laboratory and take a blood sample.
Patients independently test their stool for parasites.No special preparation is required.Immediately after defecation, place a small portion of the stool into a sterile tube and take it to the laboratory.
There is only one special condition - as little time as possible must elapse between the bowel movement and the sampling and delivery of the material to the laboratory.Also, testing for this type of helminths should be done in the morning.
The method is not universal.It only helps to identify helminths and parasites living in the large intestine.It is not suitable for identifying parasites located in other organs (for example, the liver) and for identifying worms that are primarily found in the small intestine (pinworms), since these types of parasites with a defined life cycle do not enter the large intestine and do not leave the body in the feces.
However, a variety of opportunistic extraintestinal invasions, such as liver lesions, continue to appear in the stool.They are simply there in smaller quantities.Based on the symptoms, the doctor will tell you which test is appropriate in a given case.In fact, based on this, we can draw conclusions about which parasites are most likely to be present first.
Scraping
Another way to check for parasites at home.This method is suitable for determining the presence of parasites that come to the surface through the anus to lay eggs.
The most common pinworms with this trait can be found.To perform such tests, parasites must be scraped from the anus.
This requires a special test kit for enterobiasis.Some patients scrape with tape, but this method is not very effective.
The basic rules of sampling are as follows:
- It happens in the morning, right after one wakes up;
- Do not wash before the test;
- It is not advisable to touch the anus before sampling;
- Before taking the parasite test to the laboratory, you must store it in a refrigerator;
- A maximum of 6-8 hours elapses between collection and handing over for research.
Diagnosing parasites in the human body with an enterobiasis test kit is done as follows:
- Take the clear polyacrylic spatula from the kit;
- Apply some glue to the edge, also included in the kit;
- Place the spatula several times on the skin of the anal folds;
- Place the spatula in a sterile container, which is also part of the kit.
Take the container with the spatula to the laboratory.It is not difficult to find out where you can get a parasite test in Moscow.You can visit the laboratory.
In small towns, a referral from a parasitologist or infectious disease specialist is often required to send the material to the clinic-based laboratory.
General blood test
Sometimes a general blood test is needed to detect parasites in children and adults.It can indirectly confirm the presence of an invasion.If confirmed, expensive and accurate blood tests can be ordered to detect antibodies against the parasites.UAC is cheap.
This type of test requires blood from your finger as it is done with a capillary sample.It is taken from the finger;babies may have alternative collection sites – earlobes, heels, thighs.
You need to do a fasting test.Such a study helps to establish the following:
- An increased content of eosinophils, eosinophilia, indicates that an allergic reaction occurs in the human body against parasites;
- An increased level of white blood cells indicates that the immune system is intensively fighting something, possibly parasites (however, such indicators are also caused by viruses, infections and inflammatory processes);
- A reduced iron content during the invasion can occur because the parasites in the body do not allow useful substances to be absorbed into the blood in sufficient quantities, and they also cause permanent microbleeding, as they damage the mucous membrane for nutrition.
Sometimes a blood chemistry test is recommended.A sample is taken from the vein to help determine whether the internal organs are working properly.Based on its results, it becomes clear indirectly which organ may be affected by the invasion, but this is rarely prescribed.Decoding is done by the doctor.
Enzyme immunoassay
The ELISA blood test for parasites is the most expensive and most accurate test.This is the name of the analysis that shows the presence of specific antibodies in the body, which the immune system begins to produce as a result of the invasion.
The enzyme immunoassay blood test for the detection of parasites is good because it allows a very precise determination of the type of parasite, right down to the strain.Antibodies are specific immunoglobulins that differ not only for different pathogens, but also for different strains.As a result, such a test for the presence of parasites in the body allows not only to make an accurate diagnosis, but also to prescribe a more "targeted" treatment.
This serological blood test is performed with a sample taken from a vein to detect parasites.You can also take it in the morning, because it is important to take it on an empty stomach.Such an analysis for the identification of parasites is prepared from several hours to days.The patient receives a detailed result from the laboratory, which includes the type of immunoglobulins (if any) and their amount.
Deciphering a blood test for parasites is simple.Antibodies are present in large quantities when the infection develops.In case of certain types of invasions, the body's immunity develops;in this case, a small amount of immunoglobulin in the blood may indicate that the patient was previously infected but recovered.The absence of antibodies indicates the absence of infection or that it was very recent and antibodies have not yet developed.
You can donate blood yourself for parasites in this way, but due to the significant cost, it is better to consult a doctor first.For this reason, it is sometimes pointless to give blood using the ELISA method for the presence of parasites to immunodeficient, HIV-infected and lupus sufferers.