Enterobiosis is a disease that develops against the background of penetration of pinworms (roundworms) into the body. According to statistics, pathology is most often diagnosed in children, less often in adults. Parasites develop only in the human body, so it is impossible to get infected through animals. Enterobiosis is considered a dirty hands disease. Therefore, non-compliance with personal hygiene rules is the main reason for the development of the disease. To identify the pathological process in the body, a special study should be conducted. But how to do this, and where to pass the analysis for enterobiosis, you need to understand. So sooner or later this information will be useful to everyone.
Enterobiosis, what is this analysis?
This procedure includes laboratory tests that will help confirm or refute the suspicion of the presence of parasites in the body. The analysis for enterobiosis and worm eggs is important, since it is on the basis of the data obtained that the doctor will be able to correctly establish the diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.
Worms after fertilization in the intestine go out through the anus. This is so that the females can lay the egg laying in the folds of the skin. Therefore, to detect their presence in the body, an enterobiosis test is used, which includes scraping, smear, fecal examination.
The therapeutic procedure is carried out on the basis of clinical indications. As a preventive measure, the analysis is carried out once a year. The most accurate result of the study can be achieved with a three-time sampling of the material with a frequency of 7-10 days.
For children, this procedure is prescribed from 1 year of life. To thoroughly understand what kind of analysis this is, enterobiosis, you need to familiarize yourself with the conditions of its conduct
When is an analysis scheduled?
Infection of the body with pinworms does not pass without a trace. With an increase in the number of parasites, severe dysbiosis, impaired bowel function and excessive flatulence develop. A person becomes irritable, as sleep is disturbed.
In addition, other characteristic signs of the disease appear:
- itching in the anus at night;
- periodic abdominal pain for no apparent reason;
- nausea after eating;
- vomiting
- gnashing of teeth in a dream;
- causeless cough;
- protracted colds;
- frequent allergic reactions;
- perineal redness;
- violation of the stool;
- increased appetite or its complete absence;
- weight loss during a normal diet;
- drowsiness;
- fast fatiguability.
The presence of at least a few of the signs listed above is the reason for the test for enterobiosis.
A certificate of the procedure is also required when:
- admission to kindergarten, school;
- pregnancy
- visit to the pool;
- registration of a medical book;
- inpatient treatment.
Therefore, everyone should know where to pass the test for enterobiosis, and how to do it correctly.
How to prepare for the procedure?
To get the most reliable results, you need to prepare in advance for the procedure. The basic rule is the refusal to take anthelmintic drugs. If this is not done, the presence of parasites in the body cannot be established.
When collecting feces for an analysis of enterobiosis, an adult and a child should:
- exclude fatty foods from the diet in advance;
- to conduct a bowel movement on their own (without the use of laxatives).
When prescribing a smear or scraping, it is necessary to adhere to the following recommendations:
- the procedure should be carried out in the morning;
- you can’t swim before taking the test.
In order for the child to behave calmly, parents must explain in advance what kind of analysis for enterobiosis is and how painless it is.
Smear in adults
The collection of material for analysis can be carried out directly in the laboratory or independently at home. It should be understood that the biomaterial retains its qualities for no more than 2 hours at a temperature of + 4- + 8 degrees, so it must be delivered to a medical institution as quickly as possible.
The procedure is carried out in this sequence.
- Buy a special container with a cotton swab for storage of biomaterial in the pharmacy.
- Wear sterile gloves.
- Immediately before the procedure, dip the tip of a cotton swab into glycerin.
- Spread the buttocks, bending forward.
- Run a cotton swab along the folds around the anus, pressing lightly on it.
- Put the collected material in a container and close it tightly.
In the same order, a smear is taken in the laboratory. Before the procedure, the healthcare provider must wear a mask and sterile gloves. After that, ask the patient to lie on the couch on one side or while bending forward, pushing the buttocks apart. After that, a cotton swab dipped in saline or glycerin should be drawn along the folds near the anus. Place the material in a special container.
After collection, all collected containers are placed in a special box with the required temperature, where they await their turn for research. In this mode, they can be stored for 8 hours.
Based on this, we can conclude how they take the analysis for enterobiosis in the form of a smear at home and in the laboratory.
Perianal scraping
This procedure for collecting material is somewhat different from taking a smear, so it’s worthwhile to figure out how to take an analysis for enterobiosis in this case, and whether it can be done independently.
Perianal scraping in the laboratory is as follows.
- The healthcare provider must wear sterile gloves and prepare a glass slide.
- Detach adhesive tape from the appliance.
- Attach it with the sticky side to the folds near the anus.
- Return the tape to the glass, smooth.
After that, the biomaterial is transferred to the study.
If necessary, this procedure can be carried out independently. For this, it is recommended to use a wide 2 by 5 cm tape and low-fat glass. To obtain biomaterial, it is necessary to attach the tape with the sticky side to the anus, and then transfer it to the glass, smoothing the surface.
It is important to transfer this material to the laboratory as soon as possible so that it does not lose its relevance. For this, there is only 2 hours, so it is best to collect samples immediately before going to the laboratory.
How are feces taken for analysis?
In order for the analysis for enterobiosis to be valid in this case, it is necessary to minimize the probability of errors in collecting biomaterial.
If a helminthic infestation is suspected, experts recommend carrying out the procedure several times, since there is a possibility of conducting a study in a "silent period". This means that the female parasite is localized in the intestine, waiting for the maturation of the eggs. If the analysis was carried out at this particular time, then detecting signs of the presence of worms in the body is very problematic.
Most doctors are inclined to believe that the study of feces is the most uninformative analysis for enterobiosis. According to statistics, it is possible to detect worms using this method only in 30% of cases. This is due to the biological characteristics of the parasites. Since they do not lay eggs in the intestinal lumen, they crawl out to the perianal folds for this.
But the collection of feces in the analysis for enterobiosis allows to detect the presence of other types of parasites (roundworms, tapeworms).
Before collecting biomaterial at home, it is necessary to exclude the use of:
- cleansing enemas;
- antibiotics;
- rectal suppositories;
- laxatives.
To know how to take the analysis for enterobiosis correctly, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main recommendations for the procedure.
- It is necessary to prepare a container for storing samples in advance. For this, an opaque container with a tight lid is best suited. It can be purchased at the pharmacy. A special spoon is attached to it, which greatly facilitates the collection of material. The container does not need to be sterilized; it is enough to wash and dry it well.
- The volume of the research sample should be approximately equal to 2 tsp., Otherwise it will not be enough to obtain reliable results.
- It is important that additional impurities in the form of urine and vaginal discharge do not enter the stool intended for analysis. Therefore, the collection of material is recommended after urination. And to prevent the ingestion of menstrual flow, a swab should be used.
- Samples for research should be taken from above, below and the middle of feces. This is necessary to increase research awareness. If at the same time obvious signs of the presence of parasites were found, then it is necessary to place their prepared container and transfer it to the laboratory along with the biomaterial.
- After collecting feces, it is recommended that you deliver it to the laboratory as soon as possible. But if this is not possible, then the container with the material should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 0- + 4 degrees. In this mode, it retains its information content for 24 hours. In the event of temperature differences during storage, it is necessary to collect samples again.
- It is best to use morning feces for analysis. Before submitting for the study, you must write your last name on the container, as well as the date and time of collection of samples.
- When passing stool for enterobiosis, it is necessary to prepare for the fact that this procedure should be carried out 3 or more times. Only in this case can the maximum reliability of the study be achieved.
If the stool has already been collected, but there is no way to transfer it to the laboratory and store it properly, then it is recommended to preserve the material. To do this, use a 50% glycerol solution. At the same time, it should be mixed with distilled water based on 50 ml of glycerin and 90 ml of water. In the obtained preservative, biomaterial can be stored for 2-3 weeks, provided that the volume of the working solution is 3 times more than feces.
Blood analysis
In this type of study, the results are considered the most informative, as they can confirm or deny the fact of infection of the body with parasites with maximum accuracy. In medicine, this diagnostic method is called enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for enterobiosis. What kind of research is necessary to understand.
When a foreign invasion penetrates the human body, immunity tries to defend itself against this invasion. At the same time, it produces specific antibodies for the fight, and the type of immunoglobulins directly depends on the strain of parasites. Therefore, when collecting venous blood for examination, it is possible to determine with maximum accuracy the type of invasion that is present in the body.
The number of antibodies produced also indicates how long the pathological process lasts. This is determined by the type of immunoglobulins, since as the disease develops, they differ from those that were developed at the beginning of the infection.
Based on this, it becomes clear: if antibodies are present in the blood, then infection has occurred, and vice versa. There are cases when the analysis shows a small amount of immunoglobulins in the blood. In medicine, this is considered a borderline state, that is, it is impossible to confirm or deny the fact of infection. In this case, the doctor prescribes a re-examination after a few days, depending on the characteristics of the patient’s immune system.
Venous blood sampling for analysis for enterobiosis is done in the laboratory. The procedure is performed in the morning on an empty stomach. No special preparation is required before the procedure.
This study is used much less frequently than previous methods. It is prescribed for severe and prolonged course of the disease. In this case, the analysis for enterobiosis helps to accurately determine the type of parasite, and it is also necessary for making a final diagnosis. Only on the basis of the data received, the doctor prescribes the necessary course of treatment.
How is an enterobiosis test taken in children?
In children, an invasion study is much more often conducted. This is due not only to a high level of infection at this age, but also to the need for a medical certificate for all preschool and school institutions. Therefore, parents must know how to take an enterobiosis test for a child and what is needed for this.
The collection of biomaterial in children is carried out using a scraping or smear in a special treatment room in the direction of the pediatrician. Children's analysis for enterobiosis is a completely painless procedure, and therefore, parents must first explain to the child that there is nothing wrong with this.
The collection of biomaterial occurs in the morning. There are two ways to take it.
- Smear. The nurse puts the baby on the couch, removes the linen. He dips a cotton swab in saline and spreads his buttocks along the folds near the anal exit.
- Scraping. The child is also laid on the couch. For collection, an adhesive tape is used, which is applied to the anal folds for a few seconds. After that, the tape is glued to the glass and sent for examination.
Sometimes collection of samples for research should be carried out at home. Therefore, parents should know how to take an enterobiosis test in a child, and how quickly it needs to be delivered to the laboratory.
The main condition for the correct procedure is increased attention to disinfection, as otherwise the biomaterial will be damaged.
The main stages of the analysis.
- Prepare a container, cotton swab or glass with masking tape in advance.
- Wash hands thoroughly with soap and dry.
- Wear sterile gloves.
- Put a diaper on the bed.
- Lay the baby to one side and remove the laundry.
- Gently push the buttocks and rub the anal folds with a cotton swab dipped in glycerin or stick an adhesive tape.
- Place the stick in the container or stick the tape to the glass without touching the sticky side with your hands.
- Close the container tightly.
After the collection of samples for research, it is necessary to take them to the laboratory. The resulting biomaterial retains its informative value for 2 hours, so delay is not recommended.
Reception of analyzes is carried out in the morning. To obtain the most accurate results, enterobiosis analysis is recommended to be carried out three times in a few days.
How valid is the data received?
You can get the results of the analysis for enterobiosis the very next day after delivery. Data decryption is performed by a pediatrician or therapist.
Help is valid for 10 days. If a person does not have time to provide it at the appointed time, then the study will need to be repeated.
Deciphering the results
A negative result indicates the absence of signs of invasion in the body.
But research quite often gives a positive result. Depending on the severity of the disease in medicine, there are 3 main degrees of invasiveness:
- weak (+) - single helminth eggs were found;
- medium (++) - several dozen eggs;
- high (+++) - a large number of eggs and larvae.
What to do with a positive result?
If the study gave a positive result, then the doctor prescribes a second test for enterobiosis and appropriate treatment.
The prescribed drugs must be taken not only to the patient, but also to all members of his family.
It is also important to adhere to the main preventive measures:
- regularly change linen, ironing it with an iron;
- wash hands thoroughly and observe personal hygiene rules;
- make sure that the child does not lick his fingers and does not take toys in his mouth;
- carry out wet cleaning regularly.
These measures will significantly speed up recovery, and will help avoid re-infection of the body.
Based on the information presented, it becomes clear how to take an enterobiosis test for the pool and other institutions if you need to receive a medical certificate. Also, this study must be carried out with the appearance of alarming symptoms of invasion. This will make it possible to conduct timely treatment and avoid serious health consequences.