Stool
Parasitology
Investigation of parasitic disturbances in the intestines through microscopic and immunological examination.
€ 295,00
All tests
Gut · Stool
Protozoa (feces)
Testing of the stool for single-celled parasites, such as Giardia; useful with persistent diarrhea or after travel.
At a glance
- Measured in stool
- In 1 test panel
- Check the preparation
Explanation
Protozoa (feces): what is measured?
Protozoa are single-celled parasites. This test uses the microscope or a PCR to look for protozoa in the stool, such as Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba histolytica, Dientamoeba fragilis and Blastocystis. Not all of these protozoa cause illness: Dientamoeba fragilis and Blastocystis are also often found in healthy people. Which species are tested differs per laboratory.
What can it detect?
- Intestinal infections caused by single-celled parasites, such as giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis and amebiasis
- Single-celled parasites of which it is uncertain whether they cause illness, such as Dientamoeba fragilis and Blastocystis
Result
What does the result mean?
Positive result
A positive result means that one or more protozoa have been found; the result report states which ones. With Giardia, Cryptosporidium or Entamoeba histolytica, the parasite may be the cause of diarrhea or abdominal pain. With Dientamoeba fragilis or Blastocystis this is uncertain, because they also occur in many people without symptoms.
Negative result
A negative result means that the pathogen was not found in this stool sample. Some pathogens are shed irregularly, and shortly after infection the pathogen sometimes cannot be detected yet; so an infection is not always ruled out. According to Thuisarts.nl, diarrhea is usually caused by stomach flu; diarrhea that lasts longer than 2 weeks can also have other causes, such as medicines, not tolerating lactose well or an irritable bowel.
After an abnormal result
The GP assesses for each parasite found whether it explains the symptoms and whether treatment is needed. Dientamoeba fragilis or Blastocystis without clear symptoms is usually not treated. None of these protozoa is notifiable for individual cases; only multiple cases in an institution must be reported by the institution to the GGD (municipal public health service).
Reliability
How reliable is the test?
Testing the stool for pathogens that cause intestinal infections is routine testing in Dutch laboratories. According to the LCI guidelines (RIVM), a PCR is preferred over microscopy or culture for most pathogens, because it is more sensitive; a culture is sometimes still needed afterwards to type the bacterium or test its sensitivity to antibiotics. According to Thuisarts.nl, stool testing for diarrhea is mainly useful if you are very ill or if the diarrhea lasts longer than 2 weeks and does not get better; short-term diarrhea is usually caused by stomach flu and usually clears up on its own.
What can affect the result?
- Parasites and worm eggs are shed irregularly; one sample can miss an infection, which is why laboratories sometimes ask for samples from several days.
- Shortly after infection, the pathogen may not yet be detectable in the stool.
- The longer the sample is in transit, the smaller the chance of a positive culture.
- A PCR can also find genetic material from a pathogen that is no longer alive or from an infection that has already passed.
Preparation
- Fill the three tubes on three different days, one tube per day. Parasites are not in the stool every day.
- Do not collect stool during your period.
Who it is for
Who is the test useful for?
Useful for
According to Thuisarts.nl, stool testing is useful if you are very ill from diarrhea, or if the diarrhea lasts longer than 2 weeks and does not get better, including after travel. In people without symptoms, a positive result says less, because it may fit carriage or an infection that has already passed. Without symptoms, testing is mainly useful if the GGD (municipal public health service) asks for it, for example during an outbreak or because of work in the food sector or in healthcare.
How common is it?
Diarrhea is common and, according to Thuisarts.nl, is usually caused by stomach flu; bacteria and parasites are less often the cause. According to the LCI guidelines (RIVM), a few hundred to over a thousand infections with, for example, Salmonella, Shigella or Cryptosporidium are confirmed by a laboratory in the Netherlands each year, and the real number is much higher because most people are not tested. After travel to a country with poorer hygiene, the chance of a bacterial or parasitic intestinal infection is higher.
LCI guidelines (RIVM) and Thuisarts.nl
Get tested
Protozoa (feces): test panels
Protozoa (feces) is part of these test panels. You order online and have your blood drawn at a collection point or collect the sample at home.
Evidence
Sources
This explanation is based on Dutch guidelines and independent information. It is general information, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal result with your GP.
More about risks and resultsMore explanations
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