Parasitic infestations in the body are a common occurrence that occurs in both children and adults.It occurs more frequently in children, as they observe hygiene rules less and most parasites are transmitted via the fecal-oral route.
Due to the fact that infestations are very diverse, their symptoms can vary greatly, with some being completely asymptomatic.For this reason, diagnosing parasites in the body sometimes involves a fairly large number of studies required to make a diagnosis.
Diagnostic basics
To identify a parasitic infection, it is often necessary to consult a doctor.As this lesion generally does not cause many problems for both adults and children, in addition to presenting non-specific symptoms, the patient often realizes that they have an infestation only when they find worms in the feces.In cases where there is infection with extraintestinal parasites (e.g., Giardia protozoa, amoebas) that are not excreted in feces, the diagnosis is most often made by chance.
But even if helminths are detected in feces, the patient needs to see a doctor and be tested for parasites.This is done not only to accurately identify the parasites, but also to establish which type they belong to.
This is necessary to prescribe the most effective medication that is least toxic to the rest of the body to treat the infection.Some medications only act on a certain type of pathogen.They, unlike broad-spectrum drugs, do not have such a pronounced negative effect on the human body.
For this reason, it is advisable to prescribe them when the causative agent of the invasion has been accurately identified (for which it is necessary to test for parasites in an adult or child).Also, a specialist can draw some conclusions by collecting anamnesis and establishing characteristic symptoms during a conversation with the patient.However, it is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis this way (especially in adults due to the lesser severity of symptoms).
For this reason, doctors recommend taking a blood test to detect parasites.And sometimes a stool analysis is enough.Your doctor will tell you where to get tested for this indicator.This can be done in a municipal or commercial clinic, as well as directly in the laboratory.
There are also some peculiarities in the way of taking a sample, which a specialist will notify you about.And how much an infestation test costs depends on the location where it is carried out and the types of samples that need to be collected to make the diagnosis.
Stool analysis
When talking about what parasite tests need to be done, the first thing that comes to most patients' minds is a stool test for parasites.This diagnosis of the presence of helminths is, in fact, prescribed by doctors in the first place.
This is a simple study that is carried out in any medical institution and laboratory of the relevant profile.Testing for parasites in this way is the easiest and most non-traumatic.This is especially important when collecting a sample from a child.There is no need to go to the laboratory and draw blood.
Patients test their stool for parasites on their own.No special preparation is required.After evacuation, a small part of the feces must be immediately placed in a sterile tube and taken to the laboratory.
There is only one special condition - between evacuation and sample collection and delivery of the material to the laboratory, as little time as possible should pass.In addition, tests for helminths of this type should be carried out in the morning.
The method is not universal.It helps to identify only those helminths and parasites that live in the large intestine.It is not suitable for identifying parasites located in other organs (for example, in the liver), as well as for those helminths that are mainly present in the small intestine (pinworms), since these types of parasites with a specific life cycle do not enter the large intestine and do not leave the body in feces.
However, many types of opportunistic extraintestinal invasions, for example with liver lesions, still appear in the feces.They are simply present in smaller quantities.The doctor will tell you which test is appropriate in a specific case based on the symptoms.In fact, based on this, we can draw a conclusion about the probability of the presence of which parasites should be considered first.
Scraping
Another way to check the presence of parasites at home yourself.This method is suitable for determining the presence of these types of parasites that come to the surface through the anus to lay eggs.
The most common worms with this feature are found.To perform these tests, a scraping of the anus is necessary to test for the presence of parasites.
This requires a special test kit for enterobiasis.Some patients shave with tape, but this method is not very effective.
The basic rules for sampling are as follows:
- It is done in the morning, right after the person wakes up;
- You should not wash before carrying out the study;
- It is advisable not to touch the anus before collecting the sample;
- Before taking a parasite test to the laboratory, you need to store it in the refrigerator;
- No more than 6 to 8 hours should pass between the time of collection and the time of transfer for research.
Diagnosis of parasites in the human body using an enterobiasis test kit is carried out as follows:
- Remove the transparent polyacrylic spatula from the set;
- Apply some adhesive to its edge, which also comes with the kit;
- Place the spatula against the skin of the anal folds several times;
- Place the spatula in a sterile container, which also comes with the kit.
Take the container with the spatula to the laboratory.There are no difficulties in finding out where to get tested for parasites in Moscow.You can visit the laboratory.
In small towns, a referral from a parasitologist or infectious disease specialist is often necessary to send the material to a clinical laboratory.
General blood test
Sometimes a general blood test for parasites is needed in children and adults.It is able to indirectly confirm the presence of invasion.If he confirms, expensive and accurate blood tests may be prescribed to detect antibodies against parasites.UAC is cheap.
With this type of study, it is necessary to donate blood from your finger, as it is done using a capillary sample.It is taken from the finger;babies may have alternative collection sites – earlobe, heel, thigh.
You need to do a fasting test.Such a study helps to establish the following:
- An increased content of eosinophils, eosinophilia, indicates the presence of an allergic reaction to parasites in the human body;
- An elevated level of white blood cells indicates that the immune system is intensely fighting something, perhaps parasites (however, these indicators are also caused by viruses, infections and inflammatory processes);
- A reduced iron content during invasion can develop because parasites in the body do not allow useful substances to be absorbed into the blood in sufficient quantities, and also cause constant microbleeds, as they damage the mucous membrane for nutrition.
Sometimes a chemical blood test is also recommended.A sample is taken from a vein and helps determine whether internal organs are functioning normally.Based on its results, it is indirectly clear which organ may be affected by the invasion, but it is rarely prescribed.The doctor does the decoding.
Enzyme immunoassay
An ELISA blood test for parasites is the most expensive and accurate test.This is the name of the analysis that shows the presence in the body of specific antibodies that the immune system begins to produce in response to the invasion.
An enzyme immunoassay blood test for parasites is good because it allows you to determine the type of parasite very accurately, 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 study 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 for parasites is performed using a sample from a vein.You can take it in the morning as it is important to do it on an empty stomach.This analysis to identify parasites is prepared from several hours to days.From the laboratory, the patient receives a detailed result, indicating the type of immunoglobulins (if any), as well as their quantity.
Deciphering a blood test for parasites is simple.Antibodies are present in large quantities when the infection develops.With some types of invasions, the body's immunity to it is formed;In this case, a small amount of immunoglobulins in the blood may indicate that the patient was once infected but has been cured.The absence of antibodies indicates no infection or that it occurred very recently and antibodies have not yet had time to develop.
You can donate blood for parasites yourself in this way, but due to its significant cost, it is better to consult a doctor first.Therefore, it is sometimes useless to donate blood to detect the presence of parasites using the ELISA method for people with immunodeficiency conditions, HIV and lupus.