Examination for helminthes( helminthiasis) and worm eggs, screening for helminthic infestation in children

Helminthiasis is a very common parasitic disease that occurs both in humans and in animals that occurs when a helminth enters the body. At the moment there are hundreds of different types of worms. The most common of these are round and flat worms.

It is accepted to divide helminthiases into such types:

• tissue
• pulmonary
• intestinal

Many believe that helminths affect only the digestive system, but they can parasitize the heart, liver, eyes, brain, lungs, muscles. Therefore, many survey methods have been developed that will help to identify and determine the type of worms.

Inspection for helminthic invasion

The following materials can be used for examination for helminthiases: stool, sputum, contents of duodenum, tissue taken from biopsy, scrap from perianal folds.

There are a lot of types of examinations for worms. It is worth highlighting those that are used most often:

1. Stool analysis is the simplest and most common method. Used to identify the most common types of intestinal worms. In feces you can find both whole and fragmented helminths, as well as their larvae;
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2. Macroscopic examination - used to detect pinworms and ascarids. For this, feces or perianal scrapings are used;
3. Microscopic method - using this method of examination, it is possible to establish distinctive signs of cysts and worm larvae, which helps to determine the type of parasite. It is often used to diagnose intestinal helminths;
4. Examination of feces for helminth eggs( coprocopy) - the Kato method is used in combination with the Kalantaryan or Fulleborn method. There is a study in the staining of a thick brushstroke. Due to this, it is possible to determine the number of eggs in the feces, which allows to estimate the degree of infestation in the body;
5. Examination of bile and contents of the duodenum. This method is used when suspicion of infection with such worms as opisthorchiasis, echinococcosis, clonorchiasis, strongyloidiasis and others that affect the duodenum, gallbladder and liver;
6. Blood test for microfilariae with suspected filariasis;
7. Serological examination of blood in order to detect antibodies to certain types of worms. Screening for helminthiases is used as with other studies. For example, the detection of antibodies to antigens of Echinococcus IgG in the blood indicates the infection of a human with echinococcus. This method is also used for the diagnosis of opisthorchiasis, trichinosis and toxacorrosis. With a positive screening result, indicate the titer of the antibodies obtained and their type( to which of the worms the antibody titer increased);
8. Study of muscle tissue biopsy. This method is used for suspected trichinosis, as this helminth infects the muscles;
9. Radiographic examination of the chest, ultrasound and fibrogastroduodenoscopy are also very important research methods in the diagnosis of helminthiosis.

Inspection of children for helminths

The examination for helminthiasis in children and adults is not particularly different. The material for the study is also blood, feces, urine, sputum, duodenal contents, a perianal fold.

Since echinococcosis can affect many organs( lungs, liver, brain, etc.), instrumental methods of examination are used: ultrasound, radiography, CT, MRI, endoscopy. If suspected of opisthorchiasis using a duodenal probe, the contents of the duodenum are obtained and examined. If there are signs of infection with trichinosis, then for diagnosis use samples of muscle tissue and skin in which there may be larvae of parasites.

Screening of helminths

In children, a screening method is used to screen for worms, which is a skin test. The essence of the method in the introduction of a small amount of a weakened pathogen under the skin.

To diagnose helminthiasis in a child, the most commonly used method is the analysis of feces for eggs of worms.

This method is used in such cases:

• if you have any suspicions of helminth infection;
• with the planned admission of the patient to inpatient treatment;
• when registering a child in any children's institution;
• when completing the medical book;
• during preventive examinations.

Feces collection for examination should take place in accordance with certain rules and recommendations:

1. Stool collection takes place from the very morning, immediately after awakening;
2. Before this procedure, it is advisable to urinate, but the act of defecation is performed immediately before the collection of stool;
3. It is forbidden to carry the toilet of anus and perianal area. So the results of the survey will be more accurate;
4. The test material is placed in a sterile disposable plastic container. The stool volume should not exceed two teaspoons;
5. During fecal collection, the material is taken from the inside, from the sides and from above;
6. The collected material should be stored for no more than 6-8 hours at a temperature of 4-8 degrees. For more accurate results, the tests should be carried to the laboratory within an hour after the fence.

Only in 30% of cases after the first delivery of feces it is possible to reveal eggs of worms. Therefore, for a reliable result, three-fold testing is required at intervals of 2-4 days.