• Persistent digestive symptoms: Diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal discomfort or altered bowel habit.
• Travel or exposure risk: Symptoms developing after travel, contaminated food or water exposure.
• Suspected gastrointestinal infection: Clinical presentation suggesting possible parasitic involvement.
• Unresolved symptoms after initial investigation: Ongoing gastrointestinal disturbance despite routine testing.
• Follow-up testing: Reassessment after previous detection or treatment of intestinal parasites.

Overview

Parasitology is a stool test that uses microscopic examination to look for intestinal parasites such as protozoa or helminths. Testing focuses on organisms that may contribute to gastrointestinal infection or ongoing digestive disturbance.

Abnormal findings may help provide clinical context in individuals with persistent diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal discomfort or symptoms developing after travel or suspected exposure. Identification of parasitic organisms can support differentiation between infectious causes and other gastrointestinal conditions with overlapping symptom patterns.

Results are interpreted alongside clinical history, exposure risk and other relevant investigations where appropriate. The test may be useful for further investigation or follow-up in individuals with ongoing gastrointestinal symptoms.

Practical

Practical

Specimen requirements: STOOL

QUANTITY: Each vial must be filled until the indicated fill line, and must not be filled to the top.

STORAGE: 

Black & Orange capped vials: REFRIGERATE (DO NOT freeze)

PLEASE NOTE:

If there are any missing or improperly produced samples, the following options are available:

1. SEND A NEW (COMPLETE) SAMPLE, where the patient/practitioner will be liable for the added shipment costs.

2. REQUEST a downgraded version of the test. The downgraded report will only contain the analytes measured from each vile:

   - BLACK capped vial: parasitology

   - YELLOW/ORANGE capped vial: Bacteria/Yeast Culture & PCR

Once the downgraded version of the test has been requested based on the delivered vials, the invoice price will be adjusted to accommodate the new report. A new order will have to be submitted to receive a full report, as results cannot be transferred between past orders.

No Call / Inhibited
In certain circumstances, stool samples may not yield results for a limited section of viruses, pathogenic bacteria and parasites [known as : No Call / Inhibited]. Statistically this can affect approximately 6% of tests.
Many factors contribute to this issue including diet, medication, supplements, and competing DNA. Excessive calcium, tannic acid, bile salts, haemoglobin, melanin, collagen, urea, degradation products, complex polysaccharides and polyphenolic substances have also been found to cause inhibition.Test reports affected are not considered to be defective and thus are not eligible for cancellation or refunds.
Resubmission of the a supplementary sample to attempt analysis can be accommodated with billable costs limited to supply and return shipping.
By ordering this test, you accept the conditions and risks explained here.

The x3 indicates a three day collection.

When doing the stool test, you have seven (7) days to collect all the vials from the date you start collecting the first vial.

Taking enzymes will affect the results. We recommend to stop taking digestive enzymes 2 days before starting the test and during the test.

We do allow for patients to take magnesium citrate, Psyllium grain, or prune juice.

Age requirements:

Applicable to all ages. For infants, collect from the middle of the stool, not touching the diaper as this will contaminate the sample. The stool needs to be free of urine.