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Requests for parasite exam will be honored if the patient is characterized by one of the following. Please include this information when ordering the test.
- recently traveled outside of the United States to an endemic area
- recently immigrated from a country where intestinal parasites are endemic
- recent ingestion of raw seafood
- immunocompromised
- eosinophilia, OR
- test has been ordered or approved by an Infectious Disease physician, Gastroenterologist, or Director of Microbiology.
If the above criteria are NOT met, a Giardia Antigen Test will be performed instead.
Specimens will be retained for 2 weeks from the collection date. If further testing is requested, please contact the Director of Microbiology by calling the UWHC Microbiology Lab at (608) 263-8710.
Examination for Cryptospordium, Cyclospora, Isospora, Microsporidia and pinworm must be ordered separately and clearly indicated on request form.
For most gastrointestinal parasites, a single stool sample has a sensitivity of over 90%. If symptoms persist, examination of additional stool specimens may be warranted.
Because these agents do not cause hospital acquired infections, specimens on patients who have been hospitalized greater than 3 days will require approval of the Director of Microbiology or Pathology Resident.
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