Parasitic infections in the body are a common occurrence that occurs in both children and adults.It happens more often in children, as they follow less hygiene rules and most parasites are transmitted through the fecal-oral route.
Due to the fact that the infections are very different, their symptoms can vary greatly, and some are completely asymptomatic.For this reason, the diagnosis of parasites in the body sometimes includes a fairly large number of studies that are necessary to establish a diagnosis.
Diagnostic basics
To identify a parasite infection, it is most often necessary to consult a doctor.Since such a lesion usually does not cause many problems for both adults and children and has non-specific symptoms, the patient often understands that there is an infection only by finding worms in the stool.In cases where there is infection with extraintestinal parasites (for example, Giardia protozoa, amoeba) that are not excreted in the feces, the diagnosis is made, most often, by chance.
But even if helminths are detected in the feces, the patient should consult a doctor and be tested for parasites.This is done to not only accurately identify the parasites, but also to determine which type they belong to.
This is necessary to prescribe the most effective and least toxic medicine for the rest of the body to treat the infection.Some drugs act only 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 cause of the invasion is accurately identified (for which you need to do an analysis for parasites in an adult or a child).Also, a specialist can draw some conclusions when collecting the 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 performing a blood test for parasites.And sometimes a stool analysis is enough.Your doctor will tell you where to be 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 sampling method, which a specialist will let you know about.And how much an infection test costs depends on the location where it is performed and the types of samples that need to be taken to make a diagnosis.
Stool analysis
When we talk about what tests for parasites to do, the first thing that comes to mind for most patients is a stool test for parasites.Such a diagnosis for the presence of helminths is indeed 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 this way is easier and non-traumatic.This is especially important when taking a sample from a child.There is no need to visit the laboratory and take blood.
Patients test their stool for parasites themselves.No special preparation is required.After a bowel movement, you should immediately put a small part of the stool in a sterile tube and take it to the laboratory.
There is only one special condition - between the bowel movement and taking the sample and sending the material to the laboratory, as little time as possible should pass.In addition, testing 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 colon.It is not suitable for identifying parasites located in other organs (for example, in the liver), as well as for those toxins that are mainly present in the small intestine (pinworms), since these types of parasites with a certain life cycle do not enter the large intestine and do not leave the body in the feces.
However, many types of opportunistic extraintestinal invasions, for example, with liver lesions, still appear in the stool.They are just present there in smaller amounts.The doctor will tell you which test is appropriate in a particular case, based on the symptoms.Indeed, on its basis, we can draw a conclusion about the likelihood of the presence of which parasites should be taken into account first.
scratches
Another way to check yourself for parasites at home.This method is suitable for determining the presence of those types of parasites that come to the surface through the anus to lay eggs.
The most common roundworms with this feature have been found.To perform such tests, an itch from the anus is necessary to test for parasites.
This requires a special test kit for enterobiasis.Some patients scratch using tape, but this method is not very effective.
The basic rules for sampling are as follows:
- It is done in the morning, right after a person wakes up;
- You should not wash yourself before performing the study;
- It is advisable not to touch the anus before taking the sample;
- Before doing a parasite test in the laboratory, you must store it in the refrigerator;
- No more than 6-8 hours should elapse between the time of collection and the time of transfer for research.
The diagnosis of parasites in the human body using a test kit for enterobiasis is carried out as follows:
- Remove the transparent polyacrylic spatula from the set;
- Apply some glue to its edge, which is also included in the kit;
- Place the shoulder against the skin of the anal folds several times;
- Place the spatula in a sterile container, which is also included in the kit.
Take the container with the spatula to the laboratory.There is no difficulty in finding 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 required to submit material to a clinic-based laboratory.
General blood test
Sometimes a general blood test for parasites is necessary in children and adults.It is able to indirectly confirm the presence of invasion.If he confirms it, then expensive and accurate blood tests for antibodies to parasites can be prescribed.UAC is free.
With this type of study, you need to donate blood from your finger, as it is performed using a capillary sample.It is taken from the finger;babies may have alternate collection sites - earlobe, heel, thigh.
You should do a fasting test.Such a study helps determine the following:
- An increased content of eosinophils, eosinophilia, indicates the presence of an allergic reaction to parasites in the human body;
- An increase in the level of white blood cells indicates that the immune system is intensively fighting something, perhaps parasites (however, such indicators are also caused by viruses, infections and inflammatory processes);
- A reduced content of iron during the 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 microbleeding, as they damage the mucosa for food.
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 becomes indirectly clear which organ may be affected by the invasion, but it is rarely described.The doctor does the decoding.
Enzyme immunoassay
An ELISA blood test for parasites is the most expensive and most accurate test.This is the name of the analysis, which shows the presence in the body of specific antibodies that the immune system begins to produce in response to invasion.
An enzyme immunoassay blood test for parasites is good because it allows you to determine the type of parasite very accurately, 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 of 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.Such an analysis to identify parasites is prepared from several hours to a day.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 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 previously infected but has recovered.Absence of antibodies indicates the absence of infection or that it has happened too recently and antibodies have not yet had time to develop.
In this way, you can donate blood for parasites yourself, but due to the significant cost, it is better to consult a doctor first.Thus, it is sometimes futile to donate blood for the presence of parasites using the ELISA method for people with immunodeficiency conditions, HIV and lupus.