Why get tested? To determine whether you have a parasite infecting your gastrointestinal tract
When to get tested? When you have diarrhea that lasts more than a few days and/or have blood or mucus in your loose stools, especially if you have drunk unpurified water while camping or have traveled outside of the United States
Sample required? A fresh or preserved stool sample, sometimes multiple samples collected on different days
This article was last reviewed on January 28, 2008.
This page was last modified on April 8, 2009.
The review date indicates when the article was last reviewed from beginning to end to ensure that it reflects the most current science. A review may not require any modifications to the article, so the two dates may not always agree.
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