Parasitic infestations in the body are a common occurrence that occurs in both children and adults.In children it occurs more often, since they observe hygiene rules less well, and most parasites are transmitted through the fecal-oral route.
Due to the fact that infestations are very diverse, their symptoms can vary greatly, and some are completely asymptomatic.For this reason, diagnosing parasites in the body sometimes involves a fairly large number of studies that are necessary to make a diagnosis.
Diagnostic Basics
In order to identify a parasite infection, it is most often necessary to consult a doctor.Since such a lesion usually does not cause much trouble for both adults and children, and has nonspecific symptoms, the patient often realizes that he has an infestation only by finding worms in the stool.In cases where there is infection with extraintestinal parasites (for example, protozoa Giardia, amoebas) that are not excreted in the stool, the diagnosis is made, most often, by chance.
But even if helminths are detected in the stool, the patient needs to consult a doctor and get tested for parasites.This is done in order not only to accurately identify parasites, but also to establish what type they belong to.
This is necessary in order to prescribe the most effective and least toxic drug for the rest of the body to treat the infection.Some drugs 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 is accurately identified (for which you need to take tests for parasites in an adult or a child).Also, a specialist can draw some conclusions when collecting anamnesis and establishing characteristic symptoms during a conversation with the patient.However, it is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis in this way (especially in adults due to the least severity of symptoms).
For this reason, doctors recommend taking a blood test for parasites.And sometimes a stool analysis is enough.Your doctor will tell you where to get tested for this indicator.This can be done at a municipal or commercial clinic, as well as directly in the laboratory.
There are also some peculiarities in how to take a sample, which a specialist will notify you about.And how much an infestation examination costs depends on the location where it is carried out and the types of samples that need to be taken to make a diagnosis.
Stool analysis
When talking about what tests for parasites need to be taken, the first thing that comes to mind for most patients is a stool test for parasites.Such diagnostics for the presence of helminths is indeed prescribed by doctors in the first place.
This is a simple study that is performed in any medical institutions and laboratories of the relevant 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 have blood drawn.
Patients test their stool for parasites on their own.No special preparation is required.After bowel movement, you must immediately place a small part of the stool in a sterile tube and bring it to the laboratory.
There is only one special condition - between bowel movement and sample collection and delivery of 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 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 present mainly 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 the stool.
However, many types of opportunistic extraintestinal invasions, for example, with liver lesions, still appear in the stool.They are simply present there in smaller quantities.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 considered first.
Scraping
Another way to check for parasites yourself at home.This method is suitable for determining the presence of those types of parasites that come to the surface through the anus in order to lay eggs.
The most common pinworm worms with this feature are found.In order to conduct such tests, a scraping from the anus is necessary to test for parasites.
This requires a special test kit for enterobiasis.Some patients scrape using tape, but this method is not very effective.
The basic rules for sampling are as follows:
- It is done in the morning, immediately after a person wakes up;
- You should not wash yourself before conducting the study;
- It is advisable not to touch the anus before collecting the sample;
- Before you take a parasite test to the laboratory, you need to store it in the refrigerator;
- No more than 6-8 hours should pass between the time of collection and the time of transfer for research.
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 a little adhesive to its edge, which is also included in the kit;
- Place the spatula 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 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 required to submit the material to a clinic-based laboratory.
General blood test
Sometimes a general blood test for parasites in children and adults is necessary.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 cheap.
With this type of study, you need to donate blood from your finger, as it is carried out using a capillary sample.It is taken from the finger; infants may have alternative collection sites - earlobe, heel, thigh.
You need to take a fasting test.Such a study helps establish the following:
- An increased content of eosinophils, eosinophilia, indicates the presence of an allergic reaction to parasites in the human body;
- An increased 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 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 microbleeding, as they injure the mucous membrane for nutrition.
Sometimes a blood chemistry 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 prescribed quite rarely.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, 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 for the presence of parasites in the body allows not only to make an accurate diagnosis, but also to prescribe more “targeted” treatment.
This serological blood test for parasites is carried out 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 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 previously infected, but was cured.The absence of antibodies indicates the absence of infection or that it occurred very recently and antibodies have not yet had time to develop.
You can donate blood for parasites in this way yourself, but due to its significant cost, it is better to first consult a doctor.Thus, it is sometimes pointless to donate blood for the presence of parasites using the ELISA method to people with immunodeficiency conditions, HIV, and lupus.