The human body is often inhabited by uninvited "guests" - helminths and various types of single-celled organisms.Most of them reside in the intestines, but there are also some that prefer to reside in the liver, brain, and other organs and travel through the circulatory system.
Such "new settlers" cannot be detected in the stool.To identify them, a blood test must be performed to detect the parasites.
Currently, the following types of testing have been developed:
- serological tests;
- enzyme immunoassay;
- hemoscanning - microscopic examination;
The most reliable is a serological test - a blood test for parasites in a test tube, where the reaction to antibodies is determined.You can identify it in this way: Giardia, Echinococcus, trichinosis, ascoridosis, opisthorchiasis, toxocariasis.
Who should seek medical help?
When the organism is established, the parasites begin to feed on the beneficial substances that have entered, depleting its reserves.
The following conditions can be considered typical symptoms that indicate the presence of helminths in adults:
- intestinal problems - alternating diarrhea and constipation, cramps, increased bloating;
- iron deficiency anemia with normal nutrition;
- a condition reminiscent of poisoning - muscle pain, sleep disturbances, rashes on the body;
- nighttime teeth grinding that is noticed by others;
- fatigue, lethargy, weakness;
- inability to fill.
Illness is caused by poisoning of the body - poisoning is caused by helminths and the waste materials of decaying individuals, which cannot always leave their habitat naturally.Enzyme immunoassay for adults allows the identification of parasite markers.In doing so, it is possible to see the exact amount of specific immunoglobulins and antibodies in the human body.
In addition, it is recommended to perform a PCR test - polymer chain reaction.It defines the exact types of helminths.
To identify parasites, you need to give blood, not only with the unpleasant symptoms described above.When planning a pregnancy, before vaccinations, and after the treatment of helminthic infections is completed, parasite testing of adults is recommended in order to monitor the situation.
The attending physician decides which tests should be performed to detect parasites in adults.It's expensive to do all the tests one after the other - they pay.
SEROLOGY TESTS
If the patient feels unwell and a quick diagnosis is desired, serological tests are prescribed if worm infection is suspected.
These quick methods are based on reaction types:
- antigen-antibody;
- latex agglutination;
- immunofluorescence;
- indirect hemagglutination.
Taking blood from a vein, on an empty stomach, but not into a syringe, but into an open test tube.The research is carried out in vitro, introducing appropriate reagents into the biomaterial.
Blood ELISA is a serological test.
You have to wait a week for the result, but the latex agglutination test takes only 2.5 hours.
ELISA IMMUNO TEST
This test tube test is considered the most reliable.The basic principles of the test: the use of the basic knowledge of immunology, during which an antigen is associated with specific antibodies.Two components are evaluated - the enzymatic reaction and the immune reflex.The immune reaction is a complex life cycle of cellular compounds, during which antigen and antibodies bind.
Antigens are structures that carry information about cells;they are unique to each person and do not have duplicates.
Antigens are able to recognize foreign cellular compounds in the immune system.The antigen formed on the surface of the "infected" cell does not coincide with the one in a healthy cell.The body tries to destroy the new form of the antigen that does not match the molecule already in memory.When tested, this process is clearly visible in a test tube.
When a 'foreign' is detected, an antibody is produced - a molecule found on the surface of all immune cells.The antibody transmits information to the cell nucleus, which triggers a complex mechanism - the connection with the antigen is broken, the cell is released.Antibodies are denoted by the symbols IgA, IgD, IgG, IgE and IgM.
Blood is taken according to the following algorithm:
- The analysis should be carried out in the morning - the interval after the last meal should be at least 8 hours;
- up to 5 ml of blood is taken in a clean test tube in the laboratory from adults from the cubital vein;
- In newborns, biomaterial is collected from the placenta or umbilical cord.
The day before the test, you should stop taking carbonated drinks, alcohol and antibacterial drugs.
The analysis is presented in tabular form:
- negative result - the titers of JgA, JgG and JgM are negative - there is a minus sign (-) at the end;
- there is immunity after infection or after hypovaccination - this happens if you have recently undergone treatment - JgA and JgM (-), JgG (+);
- acute process – JgG and JgA (-/+), JgM (+);
- exacerbation of a chronic process - all titers are positive;
- chronic infection in remission – JgG and JgA (+/-), JgM (-);
- upon recovery, the table will have one value - the JgM titer is negative (-).
GENERAL LOSS OF BLOOD
A general blood test from a finger prick is also a type of diagnosis that indicates enterobiasis.Donating blood is done in the same way as during a regular examination - preferably on an empty stomach.If the eosinophils rise above 20%, we can conclude that there are worms in the body and we can continue the examination.
Eosinophils are cells of leukocyte growth, granulocyte leukocytes of the blood.In the body, they are responsible for detecting foreign elements and fighting against the toxins they emit.Eosinophils clean the blood and prevent pathological damage to living tissues.
HEMOSCANNING
Many helminths undergo developmental stages outside the gut and travel throughout the body via the bloodstream.Blood is taken from a finger on a slide and placed under a microscope.
Then, for a period of time, laboratory technicians study the changes that occur in this drop of blood in real time.
We can find worm larvae in it, and they "spy" on their life activity and the development of the worm larva.
The reliability is not as high as that of ELISA - 97, 98% and 90% - but with appropriate biomaterial collection, the type of parasites can be determined, the level of antibody production and special drugs can also be prescribed.
Drugs against helminthiasis have many side effects, so it is extremely important to determine the type of intestinal worm in order to prescribe special drugs.
BLOOD LOSS FOR PARASITES - ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
The doctor determines what type of examination should be chosen to identify enterobiasis.
Advantages of the blood test:
- when collecting feces, you may not reach the period of the life cycle during which the eggs of the worms are released from the body;
- The test results do not depend on the human factor - the training of the laboratory technician;
- They not only evaluate the quality of the organism, but also the level of infection - they determine the amount of antibodies produced.
Disadvantages of evaluating helminthic infection with a blood test:
- less availability and high testing costs;
- special equipment is required;
- You have to wait a maximum of 7 days for the results.
After you get a referral for a blood test for parasites, you need to find out what it's called.If infection with different types of helminths is suspected, different tests are performed.