1 Medical indications

Helminths are parasites that live in the intestine. Helminthiasis is a group of diseases that are provoked by the activity of worms that get into the human body. Acute helminthiasis without timely treatment becomes chronic.

In the human body, you can find ascarids, pinworms and other parasites.

Ascarids can reach a length of up to 40 cm. They are round in shape and often localized in the small intestine, provoking the development of ascariasis. Ascaridosis is a disease that arises from the activity of ascarids in the body. It affects the pancreas, the walls of the intestine, the liver. Untimely diagnosis and treatment can lead to the development of complications This can be bronchitis, pneumonia, allergies, peritonitis.

The length of the pin is 12 cm. They are round in the center and flat at the edges. The name of this worm was due to the pointed tail of the females. The body gets through unpeeled water, food, unwashed hands, provoking enterobiasis. This disease affects the intestine( blind, colon, iliac, straight) and the small intestine.

To detect helminths in the body, the following tests are performed:

1. Scraping for enterobiasis.
2. Analysis for egg-worm.
3. Blood test for the presence of antibodies to worms.

Analysis of feces for helminth eggs and enterobiosis is prescribed if:

• carries out medical examination;
• is symptomatic, indicating the infection with helminths;
• patient is placed in the hospital;
• you need a certificate for the kindergarten, camp, school, pool or medical book.

2 Additional tests

Blood for antibodies to worms is handled by employees of farms, meat processing plants and patients who have one or more symptoms:

• loss of appetite;
• itching in the anus, intensifying in the evening;
• flatulence;
• brittle nails;
• headaches;
• teeth grinding;
• diarrhea;
• formation of cracks on the heels;
• rashes on the skin;
• weight loss;
• prolonged constipation;
• decreased immunity;
• presence in feces of mucus or blood;
• pallor;
• sleep disturbances;
• increased fatigue.

Physicians refer patients with low hemoglobin levels, elevated blood leukocyte counts, cystitis, kidney inflammation, and stones in the urinary system to the stool analysis. Women are advised to take a stool test if:

• is troubled by severe spasms;
• the menstrual cycle is broken;
• found fibroma and mastopathy;
• for inflammation of the ovaries or myomas.

Men can be assessed additionally for diagnosing impotence, prostate adenoma and prostatitis. To obtain an accurate result, it is recommended to pass a stool test, observing the following rules:

• 2 tsp.feces collected from the upper, lateral and internal parts of stools should be placed in a clean, dry container( special plastic container or glass jar);
• in the material at the fence should not get urine;
• feces should be collected no later than 30 - 40 minutes.after stool. The material is delivered on the same day to the laboratory. The container must be signed indicating the patient's last name and initials, date of birth( date, month, year), date and time of collection;
• shelf life of the collected material - no more than 8 hours in the refrigerator at a temperature of + 4 ° -8 °.

Analyze for egg-yolk desperate 3 to 6 times with an interval of 1 to 2 days, as the study of one analysis may not reveal parasites, despite their presence in the body. In the laboratory, a study of the material may take from 1 to 6 days. If the worms are not found, the patient is given a certificate with a negative result of the analysis.

Before submitting the material for the registration of the child in the camp or kindergarten, you need to know how much the analysis for enterobiasis is valid. The certificate is valid for 10 days. To obtain a reliable result, the patient is advised to refrain from defecating and washing the external area of ​​the anus a few hours before the test is given.

3 Diagnostics at home

Scraping for enterobiasis is carried out independently at home or in a hospital.

In the first case the following methods are used:

• it is necessary to wear sterile medical gloves;
• prepare a test tube with a lid( with a long stick inside);
• tip of the wand wrapped with sterile cotton wool soaked in glycerin, saline or distilled water;
• open the test tube, get a wand with a cotton tip, spread the buttocks and draw a cotton tip around the anus;
• put the cotton swab back in the test tube, without touching its walls, tightly closing the lid.

In the second case, use sterile medical gloves and a slide with a special adhesive tape. Buttocks push apart, the adhesive tape is peeled from the glass, applying to the anus for a certain period of time( at least 2 seconds).Then the tape with the material is glued to the glass. When carrying out this procedure, it is recommended to ensure that outsiders do not touch the slide or tape.

Shelf life of the material is small. It is necessary to deliver it right after the fence to the laboratory. The material can not be stored in the refrigerator, since low temperatures adversely affect the reliability of the result. Repeated research is done if there is a suspicion of the presence of worms. The results of the analysis can be collected the next day after delivery. The certificate for enterobiasis is valid for 10 days after receiving the result.

4 Blood sampling

Blood is shed from the veins in the morning on an empty stomach in the laboratory and at home. Before the study, the patient can drink water, and from eating it is recommended to abstain 8 to 12 hours before blood donation. One day before the study, alcohol, fatty and fried foods are excluded from the diet. For 1 -2 weeks, stop taking medication. Otherwise, the laboratory assistant is presented with a certificate from the attending physician, indicating the names and dosage of the drugs.

The result of the analysis is valid for 2 - 9 days. Analysis of feces for latent blood is given to detect hidden red cells in the sample, which fall when parasites are destroyed by intestinal walls, with organic diseases or in the presence of tumors in the digestive tract. Research under a microscope rarely reveals erythrocytes because of a change in their shape.

Before giving the test, the patient should prepare:

• to follow a diet for 4-5 days( mashed potatoes, milk, soft-boiled eggs, white bread and fresh fruit);
• refuse to eat iron-containing foods - beets, meat, blueberries, green onions and beans;
• to exclude the use of enemas and the intake of laxatives;
• refuse brushing teeth for 2 days to prevent damage to the gums.

The analysis for latent blood in the feces is prescribed for patients with gingival petechiae, gastric and intestinal bleeding, polyps in the gastric mucosa, ulcer and hemorrhagic diatheses with multiple hemorrhages.

5 Biochemical and microscopic studies of

After a microscopic, chemical and physical examination, the patient is not given a certificate but a coprogram. Due to this research, physicians can diagnose:

• disorders in the synthesis of enzymes in the intestine;
• malfunction in the formation of acid and enzymes in the stomach;
• pathology of the liver and pancreas;
• inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract;
• impairment of food absorption in the thin and 12 duodenum;
• colitis;
• dysbacteriosis.

Before passing any analysis, the physician must assess the patient's general health, review the medical history, identify contact persons and study the anamnesis. The presence of worms in the stools of eggs is determined with the help of a microscopic study by the method of Füllbörn or Thälmann. In the first case, use a saturated salt solution, in the second case - hydrochloric acid or ether.

In the feces of a healthy person, eggs of helminths, the worms themselves and traces of their vital activity should be absent. A positive result means that eggs of ascarids, pinworms, bovine tapeworms are found in fecal masses.

In addition, this analysis can detect dysenteric amoebas, lamblia and cyclosporidia. If any of these parasites is detected, a reanalysis is performed and appropriate treatment is performed. Scraping on enterobiosis allows to detect pinworms and their larvae. To determine other helminths, additional tests are performed.

A healthy person should not have pinworm in the analysis material. From the first time these worms are found in 50% of cases. In 90% for their detection in sowing, at least 3-6 studies are carried out.

In the laboratory, the presence of antibodies to worm antigens is determined. Antibodies of classes are definitely determined:

• IgG;
• IgM;
• IgA.

A negative result indicates that the body does not have worms of a certain type. A large number of IgG antibodies indicates chronic diseases. IgM occurs in the blood after a certain time( 14 days) after penetration into the body of worms. Doctors evaluate all the results and, if necessary, prescribe repeated tests( in 10 to 14 days).