To determine the state of human health, experts prescribe taking feces for bacteriological examination. Such an analysis is most often included in mandatory preventive examinations, as well as in narrow-profile diagnostic procedures.
The collected biological material is processed using a special technology that helps determine the state of human health, for example, to detect the presence of intestinal dysbiosis or the presence of infection. Also, this procedure helps to track the effectiveness of the treatment in a patient of any age. When taking feces for bacteriological examination, the algorithm of the procedure must be strictly observed in order to obtain reliable results. How this analysis is carried out, our article says.
The main microorganisms
Everyone knows that a huge number of different microscopic creatures live in his body. All of their experts are divided into 3 separate groups:
- Useful (lactobacilli and bifidobacteria).
- Conditionally pathogenic (clostridia, enterobacteria and various fungi).
- Pathogenic (salmonella, shigella, cocci and so on).
Bifidobacteria located in the human intestines take an active part in the digestive process, help saturate the body with useful components and trace elements, and assimilate vitamins. Conditionally pathogenic microorganisms are neutral in relation to the human body, they can not be attributed to either useful or harmful. But in violation of the natural bacterial balance of the body (dysbiosis), they can change to a pathogenic state.
Pathogens
Pathogenic (pathogenic) bacteria and fungi are not found in the body of a healthy person. Their presence immediately indicates a bowel infection, which can only be determined by a treating specialist after taking feces for bacteriological examination.
Bacteriological analysis of feces is a laboratory procedure in which a specialist takes human feces and places biological material in a nutrient medium to identify the content of pathogenic, conditionally pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms in it. The patient is prescribed a stool fence for bacteriological culture if he has characteristic symptoms of dysbiosis and intestinal infections.
How are pathogenic microbes distributed?
The causes of the appearance of pathogenic microorganisms in the human body can be a large number. But the most important is the non-observance of simple rules of personal hygiene and the use of properly processed unprocessed foods:
- Eating unwashed fruits and vegetables.
- Non-observance of personal hygiene.
- Eating from dirty dishes.
- Use of raw water from open reservoirs (river, lake).
- Insufficient heat treatment of products.
Factors provoking the disease
To worsen the intestinal microflora in the body, it is not necessary to be unclean. Conditionally pathogenic microorganisms, which are most often in the intestine in a normal state, can change to pathogenic when exposed to the following factors:
- Regular mental stress, emotional outbursts.
- Overload of the human body in the physical plane.
- Living in an inappropriate climate zone.
When analysis is scheduled
This type of examination can be prescribed in the following situations:
- The presence of allergic reactions in the patient.
- Flatulence.
- The need for antibiotic treatment.
- Determining the state of intestinal microflora after a course of antibiotics.
- Immunodeficiency.
- Suspected helminthiasis.
- Suspicion of dysbiosis.
- If the patient comes to the doctor with symptoms such as abdominal pain, heartburn, nausea, diarrhea or constipation, vomiting, then he is prescribed to collect feces for bacteriological examination.
- When performing the diagnosis of cancer.
- In preparing a woman for conception.
There are no contraindications to this analysis. It can be prescribed to people of all ages, starting from birth.
Detectable diseases
Bacteriological analysis of feces helps to identify the following diseases:
- Tumors in the intestines.
- Liver problems (hepatitis, cirrhosis).
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
- Ulcerative colitis (non-specific).
- Some pathologies with gastrointestinal tract (gastroenteritis, gastritis).
- Dysbacteriosis
In addition, this analysis allows you to detect pathogenic bacteria, such as salmonella, shigella, E. coli. However, due to the fact that the result of a bacteriological study of feces has been preparing for a long time, other methods are being used to identify pathogenic microflora, which make it possible to quickly diagnose and begin a course of therapy.
Treatment
Each identified disease has its own treatment algorithm, including chemotherapy (taking pills), diet, physiotherapeutic procedures and other methods.
With severe diarrhea and vomiting, patients are prescribed a plentiful drink, "Regidron" or its analogues, to prevent dehydration. Infectious diseases are treated with the use of antibiotics, after which a course of probiotics and prebiotics is prescribed to restore normal microflora in the intestine.
Indicators normal for bacteriological examination of feces should be as follows:
Pathogens in the feces of a healthy person should not be. When dysbiosis is confirmed, the patient is prescribed antibiotics (to kill pathogenic bacteria), prebiotics and probiotics (to restore the microflora), vitamins (to raise and strengthen the immune system).
Features of the analysis
To get a more accurate result of the study, it is important to accurately follow the algorithm for the collection of feces for bacteriological research. Bacteriological research helps to identify underlying diseases and prescribe effective treatment. To correctly pass the analysis, it is important to prepare the patient for bacteriological examination of feces. A few days before the delivery of the material to the laboratory, it is important to stop using rectal suppositories, liquid paraffin and castor oil, laxatives, medicines with iron and bismuth in the composition.
Dishes for the delivery of biological material must be completely sterile and new. It is best to purchase a special container with a lid and a separate stick for collecting biological material. Such kits are sold at any pharmacy. Since it is important to use exclusively sterile containers to obtain reliable analyzes of bacteriological examination of feces for intestinal infection, it is forbidden to just open the can for stool collection, as well as touch its inner surface with your hands.
How to pass an analysis
The algorithm for taking feces for bacteriological examination is as follows:
- The act of defecation should be carried out naturally (for this it is forbidden to use laxatives, enemas and any rectal suppositories).
- Before stool sampling, you should first go to the toilet for an act of urination, as the result of the analysis will not be accurate if urine enters the container for delivery of feces. Defecation is carried out in a separate vessel, and not in the toilet.
- Using a specialized stick, it is necessary to carefully take a piece of feces and place it in a container for collecting analysis. The volume of material should not be more than a third of the container.
A container with feces is important to quickly deliver to the laboratory. If biological material cannot be delivered on time, then the collected feces can be placed in a refrigerator. It can be stored there for up to 8 hours.
When taking feces for bacteriological examination, preparation of the patient is mandatory. A person should be informed that he will take this analysis. Feces for bacterial inoculation in a child can be taken from a clean diaper or from a baby’s underwear. Feeding from the diaper is not recommended, as it may result in incorrect results. It is also important to consider the technique of taking feces for bacteriological examination, which we examined above.
Sometimes a specialist prescribes a rectal smear for a disgroup. In this case, all the procedures for collecting material for analysis are carried out by a nurse. In this case, the person lies on his side and spreads his buttocks, and a nurse with a specialized rectal swab collects all the necessary material for conducting a bacteriological examination of feces for dysbiosis.
Survey results must be expected within one week. The expiration date of the analysis for the disgroup is counted from the time the survey results were received. It should not exceed 10 days.
Features of the survey
Bacteriological examination of feces is a complex procedure in which the doctor detects the presence of an infection in the intestine. The study is carried out using the following methods:
- Microbiological.
- Biological.
- Serological.
The microbiological method will help using a microscope to identify the causative agent of the disease.
Sowing on the intestinal group is carried out by the following method: biological material is placed in such an environment that is best suited for the growth and development of harmful microorganisms. After some time (after about a week), the specialist has the opportunity to identify the type of microorganism from bacterial colonies that have grown over this period of time.
An analysis for a disgroup helps to identify whether pathogenic microorganisms such as shigella and salmonella are in the patient's feces. If there are such in the human body, then the specialist conducts another examination - on the sensitivity of these pathogens to certain types of antibiotics.
If pathogenic microorganisms begin to die actively, then the doctor prescribes the intake of the appropriate drug to the patient. Sowing on a dysgroup is an analysis that helps to determine in time the presence of a dangerous pathogen in the human body and prescribe effective therapy.
Bifidobacteria in the human body
About 95% of all microorganisms in the intestine are bifidobacteria. They take an active part in the production of B vitamins, and also help to absorb vitamin D with the help of special developed components. Bifidobacteria also support the patient's health and the state of his immune system.
Reasons for the lack of bifidobacteria:
- Taking certain medications (antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, laxatives).
- Improperly prepared diet (eating excessive amounts of protein, fats, carbohydrates, hunger strike, improper diet, breastfeeding).
- Intestinal infection (viral lesions, salmonellosis).
- Chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (cholecystitis, peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum, pancreatitis).
- Immune diseases.
- Unsuitable climatic conditions.
- Stressful situations, overvoltage.
Lactobacillus in the intestine
Lactobacilli occupy from 4 to 6% of the total mass of microorganisms in the intestine. They are beneficial to the body as well as bifidobacteria. They help maintain the level of acidity in the intestines, produce a large number of useful components (lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, acidophilus), which are actively used to eliminate pathogenic organisms. In addition, lactobacilli produce lactose.
The main reasons for the lack of these microorganisms:
- Taking medications (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, laxatives, antibiotics).
- Improperly prepared diet (insufficient amount of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in the body, improper diet, breast-feeding).
- Intestinal infection.
- Chronic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract (pancreatitis, cholecystitis, peptic ulcer disease);
- Stress.
As you can see, the reasons are almost the same as with a deficiency of bifidobacteria.
Escherichia in the intestine
These microscopic creatures appear in the human body immediately after his birth and continue to live in him throughout his life. They play the following role in the human body: they take an active part in the production of vitamins of groups K and B, participate in the processing of sugar, the development of antibiotic-like components that help strengthen immunity and eliminate pathogenic microbes from the body.