Stool
Parasitology
Investigation of parasitic disturbances in the intestines through microscopic and immunological examination.
€ 295,00
All tests
Gut · Stool
Worms (feces)
Testing of the stool for worms or pieces of worms, such as pinworms or tapeworm.
At a glance
- Measured in stool
- In 1 test panel
- Check the preparation
Explanation
Worms (feces): what is measured?
In this test, the stool is examined for worms or pieces of them, such as the thin white threads of pinworms, a roundworm or the flat white pieces of a tapeworm. If you see a worm or a piece of one in your poop yourself, Thuisarts.nl advises taking it to the GP in a closed jar.
What can it detect?
- Pinworms (small worms), especially in children
- Other intestinal worms, such as roundworm, whipworm and tapeworm
Result
What does the result mean?
Positive result
A positive result means that a worm or a piece of one has been found in the stool; the result report states which species. Pinworms are common, especially in children, and often cause itching around the anus or vagina, especially at night. Other worms usually cause no or few symptoms in the Netherlands, sometimes abdominal pain, diarrhea or weight loss.
Negative result
A negative result means that no worms were found in this sample. Worms and pieces of worm do not come out with the stool every day; so a worm infection is not completely ruled out.
After an abnormal result
For pinworms, Thuisarts.nl advises a worm treatment from the drugstore for everyone in the family aged 2 and over, together with extra attention to handwashing and cleaning. For other worms, the GP prescribes a medicine; 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
Worms (feces): test panels
Worms (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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