Giardia/crypto testing changes

(Aotea News, May 2010)

For children under the age of six or for liquid stool specimens, we no longer routinely add on a Giardia/ Cryptosporidia antigen test on faecal specimens. Testing will be performed only where the referring clinician has requested it.

Review of our data showed that a positive result was statistically unlikely in samples where add-on testing was undertaken, with the majority of positive results following specific requests for the test.

Where Giardia/Cryptosporidia antigen testing has not been requested and other microbiology tests are negative, we will ask you to consider other causes of infectious diarrhoea and submit a further faeces specimen for testing, if clinically indicated.

For guidelines for testing see: Laboratory investigation of infectious diarrhoea, January 2008, www.bpac.org.nz

For further information contact:
Anita Worrall, 04 381 5961,
aworrall@apath.co.nz