Practical Guide to Diagnostic Parasitology, Second Edition
Editor: Lynne S. Garcia1Category: Clinical Microbiology
VPractical Guide to Diagnostic Parasitology is now available on Wiley.comMembers, use the code ASM20 at check out to receive your 20% discount.
Designed as a training aid and reference for laboratorians, this guide supplements standard clinical parasitology textbooks by focusing on practical information that has direct application to benchwork. It’s loaded with “how-to” tips, based on the author’s 30 years of hands-on experience working in clinical laboratories, to help readers perform accurate diagnostic tests and avoid common pitfalls.
The book features brief, accessible summaries of ordering and collection guidelines, diagnostic procedures, and artifact/organism morphology. Descriptions of parasites are accompanied by clear diagrammatic and photographic illustrations to facilitate identification. With its diagnostic algorithms, quick-reference tables, identification keys, answers to frequently asked questions, and extensive information on method selection and clinical relevance, this guide is indispensable for lab work.
Microbiologists, physicians, medical technologists, public health personnel, teachers, and students can depend on the Practical Guide to Diagnostic Parasitology. It will help them understand the pros and cons and successfully perform each collection, testing, and reporting option as well as provide clear educational information to patients.
Paperback, 464 pages, illustrations, index.
-
Chapter 1 : Philosophy and Approach to Diagnostic Parasitology
- More Less
-
Abstract:
This section on the philosophy and approach to diagnostic parasitology provides answers to the questions: Why and Who should perform diagnostic parasitology testing? Where diagnostic parasitology testing should be performed? What factors should precipitate testing? What factors should be considered when developing test menus? The section also includes a discussion on risk management issues associated with STAT testing. There are two circumstances in diagnostic medical parasitology that represent true STATs. One is a suspected case of primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) caused by Naegleria fowleri or granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) caused by Acanthamoeba spp., Balamuthia mandrillaris, or Sappinia diploidea, and the other situation is any case where thick and thin blood films are requested for testing for blood parasites, possibly those that cause malaria.
-
Chapter 2 : Parasite Classification and Relevant Body Sites
- More Less
-
Abstract:
Although common names are often used to describe parasites and parasitic infections, these names may refer to different parasites in different parts of the world. To eliminate these problems, a binomial system of nomenclature is used in which the scientific name consists of the genus and species. Based on life cycles and organism morphology, classification systems have been developed to indicate the relationship among the various parasite species. Closely related species are placed in the same genus, related genera are placed in the same family, related families are placed in the same order, related orders are placed in the same class, and related classes are placed in the same phylum, one of the major categories in the animal kingdom. Parasites of humans are classified into six major divisions. These include the Protozoa (amebae, flagellates, ciliates, sporozoans, coccidia, and microsporidia), the Nematoda or roundworms, the Platyhelminthes or flatworms (cestodes, trematodes), the Pentastomids or tongue worms, the Acanthocephala or thorny-headed worms, and the Arthropoda (insects, spiders, mites, ticks). This section talks about parasite classification and relevant body sites such as intestine, blood, tissue, liver and lungs.
-
Chapter 3 : Collection Options
- More Less
-
Abstract:
This section discusses collection and preservation of the clinical specimens for examination. Although clinical specimens for examination can be obtained from many other body sites, specimens and appropriate diagnostic methods are used for the examination of parasites. Various collection methods are available for specimens suspected of containing parasites or parasitic elements. There are many factors to consider before selecting the approach for your own laboratory. Some of the considerations include client base, physician ordering patterns, number of specimens received per month, cost, presence or absence of appropriate equipment, current and possible methodologies, availability of expert microscopists, collection options, selection of preservative-stain combinations, reimbursement issues, client education, area of the world where the laboratory is located, and emphasis on the most common infections (helminth or protozoa or both) seen in that geographic location. Collection and testing options and their pros and cons can be seen. Several fixatives are available: formalin, sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin (SAF), Schaudinn's fluid, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and single-vial systems. The specimen used for quality control is designed to be used with fixatives from which permanent stained smears will be prepared. The majority of specimens from other body sites would be submitted as fresh specimens for further testing.
-
Chapter 4 : Specimen Test Options: Routine Diagnostic Methods and Body Sites
- More Less
-
Abstract:
This section focuses on ova and parasite examination of stool specimens using routine diagnostic methods and body sites. Diagnostic parasitology includes laboratory procedures that are designed to detect organisms within clinical specimens by using morphologic criteria and visual identification, rather than culture, biochemical tests, and/ or physical growth characteristics. The most common specimen submitted to the diagnostic laboratory is the stool specimen. The most commonly performed procedure in parasitology is the ova and parasite examination (O&P exam), which consists of three separate protocols: the direct wet mount, the concentration, and the permanent stained smear. Several other diagnostic techniques are available for the recovery and identification of parasitic organisms from the intestinal tract. A roundworm parasite that has worldwide distribution and is commonly found in children is Enterobius vermicularis, known as pinworm or seatworm. Diagnosis of pinworm infection is usually based on the recovery of typical eggs, which are described as thick-shelled, football-shaped eggs with one slightly flattened side. Most routine clinical laboratories do not have the animal care facilities necessary to provide animal inoculation capabilities for the diagnosis of parasitic infections. In certain parasitic infections, the standard diagnostic laboratory procedures may not be sufficient to confirm infection or specimen collection may not be practical or cost-effective. In these circumstances, alternative methods may be helpful; these include antibody, antigen, and nucleic acid detection. In the absence of reliable serologic diagnostic tests, skin tests have been used to provide indirect evidence of infection.
-
Chapter 5 : Specific Test Procedures and Algorithms
- More Less
-
Abstract:
This section focuses on microscopic techniques and calibration of the microscope and algorithms for the ova and parasite (O&P) examination. Direct wet fecal smear, sedimentation concentration, flotation concentration methods used for the results and laboratory reports and procedure reminders and limitations are briefly discussed. Specialized stains for Coccidia and Microsporidia are discussed using different staining methods. Modified trichrome stain for Microsporidia is reviewed for the clinical assay. Antigen-based fecal immunoassays have several significant advantages over other methods currently used for diagnosis of amebiasis. Different stains are analyzed for the parasites examination. Several concentration techniques such as buffy coat concentration, knott concentration and membrane filtration concentration are discussed. The section also provides a brief outline of the procedure for processing fresh stool for the O&P examination.
-
Chapter 6 : Commonly Asked Questions about Diagnostic Parasitology
- More Less
-
Abstract:
This section focuses on diagnostic parasitology. Specimen collection and processing procedures constitute the ova and parasite examination (O&P exam). The direct wet smear, concentration, and permanent stained smear constitute the routine O&P exam on fresh stool specimens. The section provides some of the immunoassay options available for stool protozoa. Currently, immunoassays are available for Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium spp., the Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar group, and E. histolytica. Most effective techniques for the identification of the intestinal protozoa, the wet preparation smear and the permanent stained smear are recommended as the most relevant and accurate procedures for identification. Some helminth eggs are quite heavy and will not float, even when zinc sulfate with a specific gravity of 1.20 is used. The scientific (genus and species) names should be used on the final report that goes to the physician and on the patient’s chart. It is also recommended that the stage of the organism be included (trophozoite, cyst, oocyst, spore, egg, larvae, adult worm); various stages of the malaria parasites affect the outcome of therapy.
-
Chapter 7 : Parasite Identification
- More Less
-
Abstract:
This section deals with the parasite identification. The commonly identified protozoa such as flagellates, ciliates, coccidia, microsporidia, sporozoa (blood and tissue), amebae with their species are discussed in the section. Nematodes in tissue, blood and tissue, intestinal regions are presented giving detailed information. Cestodes such as Taenia saginata, Taenia solium, Diphyllobothrium latum, Hymenolepis nana, Hymenolepis diminuta, Dipylidium caninum, are described in detail. The section focuses on trematodes in liver and lungs, blood, such as Paragonimus westermani, Paragonimus kellicotti, Schistosoma species. All the parasites are diagnosed using the diagnostic methods. The standard O&P exam is recommended for recovery and identification of T. trichiura eggs in stool specimens, primarily from the wet preparation examination of the concentration sediment. The life cycle of each parasite with their pathogenic, epidemiology and control measures are listed in detail. Additional information on parasites is also given in the section.
-
Chapter 8 : Identification Aids
- More Less
-
Abstract:
This section talks about the diagnostic characteristics for organisms. Characteristics (including size, motility, nucleus number and visibility) of intestinal protozoa such as amebae, flagellates, ciliates, coccidia characteristics of trophozoites, cysts of each species are given separately. Comparisons of various diagnostic techniques such as light microscopy, routine histology, electron microscopy, serologic antibody detection for Microsporidia identification are provided. Comparison of Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba spp., Balamuthia mandrillaris, and Sappinia diploidea have also been provided in the section. Normal life spans and characteristics of the most common intestinal nematodes, tissue cestodes, liver and lung trematodes, human paragonimiasis, blood trematodes, are listed in the tables. Potential problems using EDTA anticoagulant for the preparation of thin and thick blood films are listed in detail. Features of human leishmanial infections and characteristics of American trypanosomiasis are also provided in a tabular form. Key characteristics of helminthes, blood parasites, rapid diagnostic procedures are listed separately in tables.
There are no separately available contributors for this publication.
Click Here to Take a Look

Microbiology Today
17 July 2013
For most microbiologists, diagnostic parasitology is a small but important part of their clinical practice. Consequently, there is a need for a comprehensive laboratory guide enabling trainees to gain essential knowledge and to continue to provide bench-side advice throughout a career. The second edition of this practical guide by Lynee Garcia achieves this aim and is highly recommended. The introductory chapters that explain the philosophy of parasitic diagnosis and provide an overview of available methods are especially useful. All human parasites are here. It is comprehensively and generally well illustrated, notably the line drawings. Some of the pictures have too low a resolution, and colour for malaria and other blood protozoa would have improved the utility. Systematic descriptions of each diagnostic target are helpful. The only weakness is the lack of molecular diagnostics, which might merit a separate chapter in future. Despite this, Garcia's newest edition is a 'must buy' for trainees and established microbiologists.
Society for General Microbiology: Microbiology Today
Reviewer: Stephen Gillespie, Royal Free & University College Medical School
Review Date: February 2010
Doody Enterprises
25 June 2013
At A Glance
Designed as a training aid and rapid reference for laboratorians, this volume supplements the large standard textbooks in clinical parasitology, providing comprehensive information for practicing microbiologists, physicians, medical technologists, and students. * Covers key diagnostic techniques * Extensive information on method selection and clinical relevance * Diagnostic algorithms, tables, and identification keys * Comprehensive organism information on facing pages * Offers tips from 20 years of bench experience.
Description
This is the second edition of a book that delivers exactly what is promised in the title -- a practical guide to diagnostic parasitology.
Purpose
It is designed as a guide for the bench user. These most worthy objectives are admirably met by this edition.
Audience
This book would be very desirable for clinical laboratory scientists (CLS) or public health microbiologists in practice or in training. It also would be of interest to primary healthcare providers practicing in areas of the world where parasitic diseases are endemic and who may be responsible for treatment decisions (and maybe parasite identification too). Finally, it would be of interest to anyone in the healthcare professions interested in diagnostic parasitology. The author is acknowledged internationally as the expert in parasitology (she's commonly referred to as "the goddess" of diagnostic parasitology).
Features
This seemingly small book is chock full of important diagnostic parasitology information. It contains many new updates from the first edition that address major shifts in medical parasitology related to the ease of global travel, ensuing appearance of parasitic diseases in new geographic locations, ever decreasing lack of trained diagnostic parasitologists (and hence the need for books like this), and shifts in diagnostic testing trends (i.e., from microscopic diagnosis to antigen detection, serology, etc.). There are three truly notable sections. One is section 6, on commonly asked questions about diagnostic parasitology. This outstanding section has the answers to all those pesky questions you get asked and have to research for an answer. (It actually reads like the ClinMicroNet listserve!). Another is section 7 on parasite identification, which is the bread-and-butter of this book -- pictures and all the relevant information you could ever want about any parasite. Finally, what I liked the best (because I can't find it anywhere else) are the final three photomicrograph plates at the very end of the book depicting artifacts and things that look like parasites but aren't. These are the pictures I will refer to the most. Every other section is equally superb. For example, there is a section on specimens, processing, and fixatives -- everything you could ever want to know about what specimen to submit, how best to handle or process it, which stain to use, etc., to make an accurate diagnosis. My only (and very minor) gripe is that the photomicrographs are in black and white. It would have been lovely to have them in color.
Assessment
This is THE book on diagnostic parasitology. Get it.
Doody Enterprises
Reviewer: Valerie Ng, PhD MD (Alameda County Medical Center/Highland Hospital)
Review Date: Unknown
©Doody’s Review Service