One of the items on the list of mandatory examinations by specialists, hardware diagnostics and laboratory tests is "analysis of feces for worm eggs and scraping for enterobiasis." Due to the fact that this item is usually removed from the top of the list, the attitude towards it of adult patients and parents of the examined children is often very mediocre. At the same time, the prevalence of parasitic diseases is extremely wide. And the consequences that they can cause are quite serious.
Prevalence of intestinal parasites
About fifty (out of 287) different helminths are widespread in humans. The most common roundworms and pinworms. Their prevalence among the child population can reach 60-70%. In adults, they are found no more often than every tenth examined patient.
Such figures of statisticsare explained by the transmission of the pathogen in the form of mature (invasive) helminth eggs. At the same time, the primary analysis for enterobiasis and helminth eggs reveals only about a quarter of all cases of infection. Eggs are spread by fecal-oral, alimentary (through food and water) and contact methods.
Prophylactic prescription of research
Like any other diagnostic method, the determination of helminth infestation has its indications. An analysis for enterobiasis and worm eggs is carried out during routine examinations of children who do not attend preschool institutions. These studies are assigned when registering a child in a kindergarten, school, before going to children's he alth camps and sanatoriums.
To detect infection, tests are also prescribed for adults. Food workers are also regularly reviewed. Scraping for enterobiasis and worm eggs are included in the mandatory examination plan for employees of preschool institutions. Planned hospitalization, registration of a sanatorium card and employment in certain industries will also not do without these studies.
Suspicious "seven" and 15 reasons for alarm
Analysis for enterobiasis and worm eggs should be done if there is a combination of seven of the signs listed below. If fifteen points are identified, medical attention should be sought urgently and without delay.
21 yes or no question:
- There is intermittent or persistent anal itchingcharacter?
- Do you have skin rashes?
- Are there any other manifestations of allergies (runny nose, cough, watery eyes)?
- Worried about occasional nausea or vomiting, not related to dietary errors?
- Persistent bitter taste in mouth?
- Abdominal bloating, unreasonable stool disorder?
- Are there stomach pains that go away on their own?
- Is there periodic yellowing of the skin?
- Do you see enlarged lymph nodes?
- Do you have intermittent, vague increases in body temperature?
- Having frequent headaches or dizziness?
- Having a sleep disorder (superficial, insomnia, with nightmares)?
- Do you snore or grind your teeth in your sleep?
- Is there a loss of working capacity, general weakness and fatigue, chronic fatigue?
- Muscles or joints began to hurt for no apparent reason, which is more pronounced at rest?
- Are there swelling of the legs?
- Decreased or increased appetite? Is there weight loss?
- Do you prefer low-rare meat ("with blood"), do you like lard, dried fish, sushi?
- Do you often eat vegetables "from the garden" or unwashed fruits, greens?
- Do any of the family members work in a kindergarten, boarding school, other children's institution, or are there preschoolers in the family?
- Work on the ground, have mammals pets?
It is worth noting that this test is indicative, and its clinical significance can only be justified by consulting a doctor and conducting laboratorydiagnostics.
Laboratory Accuracy
Having a very widespread prevalence and high contagiousness, helminthiases present a certain difficulty for laboratory diagnosis. The fact is that these diseases can be reliably detected only by detecting helminth eggs in the test material. And, despite the fact that the analysis itself for enterobiasis and worm eggs will take no more than one working day, or rather, several hours, parasites are found only in a third of cases in clinically identified carriers. Therefore, for the exact denial of helminthiasis, the tests should be repeated several times with a break of two to three days.
Patient preparation and sampling
Eggs of the worm are found in the feces. Accordingly, for this analysis it is necessary to take several portions of fresh feces. Before defecation, it is necessary to empty the bladder so that urine does not get into the material. Stool samples are taken from different parts of the stool. For convenience and ease of material sampling, you can use a special plastic container equipped with a spoon attached to the inside of the lid. No special preparation is required from the patient for this test.
The situation is somewhat different if an analysis is carried out for enterobiasis. How to take an analysis: patient preparation consists in the absence of treatment (toilet) of the anal area immediately before taking the material. Scraping is donesmear imprint. The study is carried out in the morning, if possible - immediately after waking up. The equipment used for this assay must be clean, dry and out of contact with the environment.
Scraping for enterobiasis, analysis. How is the material taken?
Scraping the principle of taking the material is called conditionally. Naturally, nothing is scraped. It is more accurate to call the material sampling a smear or an imprint, depending on the equipment used.
When taking a smear, a sterile test tube (glass or plastic) with a sterile cotton swab is used, which is removed from the test tube immediately before taking a smear. It is unacceptable to touch anything with a tampon, except for the anus. After taking the material, the cotton swab is carefully placed in the test tube, and the latter is hermetically sealed.
The imprint is carried out according to the same rules as a smear. The difference is that instead of a cotton swab, the sticky side of the film of a special glass slide contacts the anus area. To take the material, the strip is carefully peeled off and applied to the area under study. Then also, without touching anything else, it must be glued to its original place. The glass slide must be placed in a dry, clean container.
In both cases, if you take a scraping on your own, it must be delivered to the laboratory within half an hour. Temporary storage of the taken material at a temperature of four degrees above zero on the Celsius scale is allowed for no more than eight hours. However,take into account that the reliability of the study decreases many times every hour after taking the material.
What if I need it urgently?
When drawing up medical documentation (medical book), sometimes a situation may arise when the need to take an analysis for enterobiasis is put before the patient as a fact. What to do if you urgently need to do an analysis for enterobiasis? How to take an analysis? Very simple. In the same way as in a planned manner, but with a clarification about the urgency (often you can take the analysis right in the laboratory).
Timing for analysis
Laboratories need some time to conduct research such as worm test and enterobiasis test. The terms of the study vary (they depend on the workload of the laboratory). But in most cases, the result is known within a few hours after the submission of the material for research. Sometimes a response may be provided the next business day.
About how much analysis is done for enterobiasis, you need to find out in the laboratory. In this case, you can clearly plan further actions, especially if they are related to the upcoming trip or job placement.
"Expiration date" of analyzes
Most clinical trials have a limited duration. This also applies to tests for helminths. You can find out how valid the analysis for enterobiasis is immediately at the time of delivery of the material to the laboratory or from the doctor prescribing the examination. According to accepted standards, the period of validityresearch results are limited to ten days.
This is of no small importance in examinations not related to the diagnosis of diseases. Knowing how valid the analysis for enterobiosis is, you can plan this study along with other tests, so that by the time you draw up medical documents, arrive at a sanatorium or for planned hospitalization, they do not expire.
Helminthiases, in addition to unpleasant sensations and conditions, can cause quite serious diseases. The presence of ascaris, pinworms and other intestinal parasites causes persistent allergies, disrupts metabolic processes, and negatively affects the intestinal microflora. Toxins released by adults have a negative effect on the immune system, hematopoietic processes, and affect the nervous system. Helminths can cause tumor growth to start. When moving, they can cause mechanical damage to the intestinal walls.
Being widespread, they pose a very serious he alth hazard. This is especially true of the first risk group - young children. Considering how much analysis is done for enterobiasis and worm eggs, we can recommend regular examinations of babies, family members with small children, food industry workers, kindergarten employees, and pet owners. This can significantly affect the spread of parasites.
