Medical Microbiology

ShipmentofMaterials 621

AppendixtoChapters 9 – 11

LaboratoryDiagnosisofParasitoses

Thissectioncontainsshortinstructionsforsamplingandshipmentofspeci-

menstodiagnosticlaboratoriesanddescribescurrentoptionsofdiagnosing

parasitoses.Readersarereferredtothespecializedliteratureformorede-

tailedinformation.

&Inadditiontotheusualpatientdata,adiagnosticlaboratoryrequiresin

particularinformationonpreviousstaysinforeigncountries,especiallytravel

totropicalordevelopingcountries,aswellasanyclinicalsymptomsorpre-

vioustreatments.

ShipmentofMaterials

Propershipmentofspecimensisanimportantpreconditiontoobtainreliable

results!Requestspecificinstructionsfromofficiallyrecognized(accredited)

analyticallaboratories.Thefollowingspecimentypesaresuitableastestma-

terialsforthevariousparasites:

Stool

&Intestinalprotozoa(Entamoeba,Giardia,Cryptosporidium,Sarcocystis,

Cyclospora,Microspora):stoolspecimenpreservedinSAFsolution.Add

about 1 goffresh(body-warm!)stoolto 10 mlSAFsolution(sodiumaceta-

te–aceticacid–formalin),shakevigorously,andsubmittolaboratory.Ifthe

testresultisnegativeandaninfectionisstillsuspected,repeatthetest

once ortwiceondifferentdays.Requesttransport tubesandsolution

fromthelaboratory.Commercialtestkitsarealsoavailableforshipment

andprocessingofstoolspecimens.

Important:treatmentwithcertaindrugsmayreducefecalexcretionofin-

testinalprotozoa!

11

Kayser, Medical Microbiology © 2005 Thieme