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Microbiology


Full details for "Faecal Ova, Cysts & Parasites".  

Name

 Faecal Ova, Cysts & Parasites

Alternative name/Profile

 Faecal examination /Faeces/ OCP / Ancylostoma duodenale / Ascaris lumbricoides / Balantidium coli / Blastocystis hominis / Capillaria philippinensis / Chilomastix mesnili / Cryptosporidium parvum / Cyclospora cayetanensis / Dientamoeba fragilis / Diphyllobothrium latum / Echinostoma species / Endolimax nana / Entamoeba histolytica / Other Entamoeba species / Enteromonas hominis / Fasciola hepatica / Fasciolopsis buski / Giardia lamblia / Heterophyes heterophyes / Hymenolepis nana / Iodamoeba butschlii / Isospora belli / Metagonimus yokogawai / Nanophyetes salmincola / Necator americanus / Opisthorchis sinensis / Paragonimus westermani / Retortomonas intestinalis / Sarcocystis species / Schistosoma species / Strongyloides stercoralis / Taenia saginata / Taenia solium / Trichuris trichiura

Department

 Microbiology

Investigation

Specimen type

 Faeces

Sample type

Sample container & volume

 Sterile Universal Container. Please send 3 specimens (but no more than 3) on different days as some parasites are excreted intermittently.

Frequency of analysis

 Weekly, daily for Cryptosporidium species and Giardia lamblia (Monday to Friday)

Turnaround time

 7 days

Availability

 Monday - Friday

Notes

Microscopy testing for Ova, Cysts & Parasites (OCP) are performed in Cherry Orchard Public Health Laboratory

Specimen requests for OCP are screened. Only samples satisfying the following criteria are transported to an External Laboratory for processing:

  • Significant details indicate there may be the presence of ova/parasites (e.g. ? worm seen in stool).
  • Patient has chronic diarrhoea or persistent diarrhoea.
  • Recent history of travel to endemic area.
  • The requesting consultant is a gastroenterologist.
  • The requesting consultant is from the GUIDE or infectious disease specialty.
  • Requesting consultant is haematology/oncology.
  • Only semi-solid or liquid specimens are to be processed unless details indicate the presence of a worm.

 

Detection of Cryptosporidium species and Giardia lamblia is now performed routinely on all faecal specimens sent for faecal pathogen investigation by molecular assay using the EntericBio Gastro Panel 2 

Send sample to the laboratory without delay.  Sample should be refrigerated if not transported immediately

Related links

Reference range

Last updated

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 07:58:10 GMT


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