How is scraping taken for enterobiasis?
Scraping for enterobiasis is a study of a smear taken from the perianal folds of a person. The analysis is aimed at identifying pinworm eggs in an adult or child.
In order for the scraping to show a reliable result, it is necessary to perform it correctly. Most often, doctors explain the main points of the scraping collection, but overlook some of the subtleties. Meanwhile, the further health of a person depends on how correctly the procedure was carried out. After all, it has been scientifically confirmed that helminths contribute to the development of a huge number of disorders in the body. These are allergic reactions, and immunosuppression, and metabolic disorders, and digestive disorders, etc.
It is known that once or twice carried out scraping for enterobiasis reveals the disease in no more than 50% of cases. While the procedure, carried out 3-4 times, can detect helminths in 95% of cases. However, if the study is carried out incorrectly, then a false negative result is guaranteed to a person.
Content:
- Preparation for scraping for enterobiasis
- How is scraping taken for enterobiasis?
- Indications for scraping for enterobiasis
- Why is a false negative result possible?
Preparation for scraping for enterobiasis
Basic rules for collecting scrapings for enterobiasis:
- The procedure should be carried out only in the morning, preferably immediately after waking up.
- You should not go to the toilet beforehand. This applies not only to bowel movements, but also urination.
- You must not wash yourself before the procedure, you should not change your linen.
- Scraping should not be done if the skin around the anus is severely damaged.
- Do not contaminate the tampon or spatula with feces.
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In advance, you should take care of the cotton swab or spatula, as well as the container where they will be placed. You can use a regular cotton swab, which should be moistened with glycerin. The material for wetting can be a soda solution, saline solution and liquid paraffin. You can also purchase a special container with a lid from your pharmacy. Inside it will be a polystyrene spatula. The manufacturer applies water-based glue to it in advance. After the material is collected, it must be delivered to the laboratory.
- Sometimes, adhesive tape is used to collect scrapings for enterobiasis. It is wound on a cotton swab, or simply applied to the perianal folds. Then the adhesive tape is transferred to the glass and in this form is delivered to the laboratory. Doctors call this method "a study for enterobiasis according to Rabinovich."
- If it is not possible to deliver the collected material to the laboratory immediately, then it must be sealed and stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of +2 to +8 ° C Celsius.
- The material must go to the laboratory for analysis no later than 8 hours from its collection. Naturally, the earlier this happens, the more reliable the result will be.
If the analysis is taken at home and you need to take it from a child, then it will be most convenient to use adhesive tape, since such a procedure can be performed as soon as possible.
How is scraping taken for enterobiasis?
The procedure for collecting material using a swab or spatula is as follows:
- If possible, it is best to wear gloves on your hands.
- You need to lie on your side, bend your legs at the knees and press them to your stomach. If the scraping is taken from a child, then you should lay him on his side and spread the buttocks with the index and thumb.
- A spatula or cotton swab is pressed firmly against the perianal folds with the adhesive on the side.
- The instrument is placed in a container intended for transportation and storage, after which it is sent to the laboratory.
- If the procedure is carried out with gloves, then they are thrown into the trash can. If scraping was performed with unprotected hands, wash them thoroughly with soap.
If the child is already big, then it is necessary, at a level accessible for his age, to explain the purpose of the procedure. This will avoid unnecessary protests from the child, and the procedure will be as comfortable as possible.
Normally, pinworm eggs in the feces should be absent. But one should remember about the possible false negative result and be persistent in terms of detecting this parasitic invasion.
Indications for scraping for enterobiasis
The indications for performing scraping for enterobiasis are:
- Symptoms of enterobiasis in children or adults. This includes anal itching, which intensifies at night, disruption of normal bowel function (unstable stools, weight loss, nausea, flatulence), allergic reactions (urticaria, eczema, bronchial asthma), neurological symptoms (headaches, increased fatigue and irritability, cognitive impairment). abilities).
- The need to obtain a certificate to visit a particular institution. So, all children who will attend kindergarten must be examined for enterobiasis without fail. A certificate of the absence of helminthic invasion is required when visiting the pool and some other organized institutions.
- It is possible to take an analysis for enterobiasis when undergoing medical examination.
- All patients should be checked for enterobiasis before scheduled admission to the hospital.
- Employees of the food industry, children attending preschool educational institutions and students in grades 1-4 are subject to a mandatory annual survey.
- Children and adults who go for treatment to health resort institutions.
As for medications, then a week before performing the scraping, you should stop taking antibacterial drugs. This also includes castor oil and antidiarrheal medicines.
As for the results, they will be known the next day. The timing of bringing them to the attention of the patient depends on the specific medical institution that conducted the analysis, on the date of the next meeting with the doctor and on other circumstances. However, laboratory technicians are required to examine the received material for the presence of pinworm eggs in it on the day it is received.
After entering the laboratory, the tampon is washed off, rinsed in a special solution and placed in a centrifuge. Then the resulting precipitate is transferred to glass and examined with a microscope. If a spatula enters the laboratory, then the contents are simply scraped off from it, transferring it to glass. It is this glass that is studied under a microscope.
It should be remembered that all experts unequivocally recommend scraping for enterobiasis at least 3 times, especially if there are suspicions of invasion.
Why is a false negative result possible?
The main reasons for getting a false negative result:
- Violations of the rules for the collection of material.
- Taking illegal drugs a few days before the procedure.
- Cyclicity of egg-laying by pinworms. It is for this reason that the procedure is recommended to be carried out at least 3 times with a frequency of 3 days.
- Unfair and poor-quality work of laboratory staff. It is not possible to computerize the procedure, therefore, the human factor should not be excluded.
- Material handling violations.
Scraping for enterobiasis is a simple procedure that, if carried out correctly, gives reliable results. Therefore, if you suspect enterobiasis, you should immediately seek the advice of a specialist.
Author of the article: Danilova Tatyana Vyacheslavovna | Infectionist
Education: in 2008 received a diploma in General Medicine (General Medicine) at the Pirogov Russian Research Medical University. Immediately passed an internship and received a diploma of a therapist
