Stool
Parasitology
Investigation of parasitic disturbances in the intestines through microscopic and immunological examination.
€ 295,00
All tests
Gut · Stool
Worm eggs (feces)
Testing of the stool for eggs of intestinal worms; mainly useful with symptoms after a stay in warmer countries.
At a glance
- Measured in stool
- In 1 test panel
- Check the preparation
Explanation
Worm eggs (feces): what is measured?
In this test, the stool is examined under the microscope for eggs of worms that live in the gut, such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm and tapeworm. The eggs of the small worms that are common in the Netherlands (pinworms) are laid around the anus and are often not in the stool.
What can it detect?
- Intestinal worm infections, such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm and tapeworm
Result
What does the result mean?
Positive result
A positive result means that worm eggs have been found; the result report states which species. According to Thuisarts.nl, you notice little of most intestinal worms in the Netherlands; sometimes they cause abdominal pain, diarrhea or weight loss. After a stay in warmer countries, other worms can also occur, with symptoms such as abdominal pain, coughing, itching or fever.
Negative result
A negative result means that no worm eggs were found in this sample. Eggs are not always shed, and pinworm eggs are mainly found around the anus; so a worm infection is not completely ruled out.
After an abnormal result
In a worm infection, the GP usually prescribes a medicine against worms; for a tapeworm, the laboratory first determines which species it is. Worm infections are not notifiable.
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
Worm eggs (feces): test panels
Worm eggs (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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