Garcia LS. 2009. Practical Guide to Diagnostic Parasitology, 2nd ed. ASM Press, Washington, DC.
22. Joint Commission. 2013. Survey Activity Guide for Health Care Organizations, 2013. The Joint Commission, Chicago, IL.
23. Garcia LS (ed). 2013. Clinical Laboratory Management, 2nd ed. ASM Press, Washington, DC.
This chapter discusses various collection methods that are available for specimens suspected of containing parasites or parasitic elements. When a laboratory selects its collection methods, the decision should be based on a thorough understanding of the value and limitations of each. One of the most important aspects of specimen collection is that the final laboratory results based on parasite recovery and identification will depend on the initial fixation of the organisms (1–3). Unless the appropriate specimens are properly collected and processed, these infections may not be detected (1). Considering the current era of cost containment and review of clinical relevance of laboratory information generated, specimen rejection criteria have become more important within the context of all diagnostic microbiology procedures. Diagnostic laboratory results based on improperly collected specimens may require excessive expenditures of time and supplies and may also mislead the physician. As a part of any overall total quality management or continuous quality improvement program for the laboratory, the generation of test results must begin with stringent criteria for specimen acceptance or rejection.
Clinically relevant diagnostic parasitology testing also depends on receiving appropriate test orders from the physician. Depending on the patient’s clinical condition and travel history, very specific diagnostic tests may be recommended. It is extremely important that physician clients are aware of the test order options available within the laboratory test menu and the pros and cons of each test when considered within the context of the patient’s history and symptoms. Without the proper test orders, diagnostic test results may be misleading or actually incorrect. Appropriate and complete communication regarding test orders between the laboratory and physicians is mandatory for high-quality patient care.
All fresh specimens should be handled carefully, since each specimen represents a potential source of infectious material (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites). Safety precautions should include awareness of the following: proper labeling of fixatives; specific areas designated for specimen handling (biological safety cabinets may be necessary under certain circumstances); proper containers for centrifugation; acceptable discard policies; appropriate policies for no eating, drinking, or smoking, etc., within the working areas; and, if applicable, correct techniques for organism culture and/or animal inoculation.
Since diagnostic parasitology work is most often performed within the microbiology division of a clinical laboratory, all general guidelines for safety would also apply. Any special precautions which apply to a particular technique are discussed in the following chapters. In general, standard precautions as outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Act must be followed when applicable, particularly when one is handling blood and other body fluids (4).
Procedures for the recovery of intestinal parasites should always be performed before barium is used for radiological examination. Stool specimens containing barium are unacceptable for examination, and intestinal protozoa may be undetectable for 5 to 10 days after barium is given to the patient. There are also certain substances and medications that interfere with the detection of intestinal protozoa: mineral oil, bismuth, antibiotics, antimalarial agents, and nonabsorbable antidiarrheal preparations. After administration of any of these compounds, parasitic organisms may not be recovered for a week to several weeks. The two most commonly used substances are barium and antibiotics, such as tetracycline, which modify the gastrointestinal tract flora. Specimen collection should be delayed for 5 to 10 days or at least 2 weeks after barium or antibiotics, respectively, are administered (1, 2, 5–
