Parasites (other) – Diphyllobothrium species

Detection of Diphyllobothrium species (tape worm)
Microbiology
Bacteriology
○ Stool ○ Whole worm
Other Information
○ Collect 1 specimen per day for 3 days in each vial for a total of six (6) specimens per patient with suspected parasitic infection.

○ Avoid anti-diarrheal medications, radiological dye (barium) and antibiotics prior to producing the specimen as they may interfere with parasite detection.

○ Please provide travel history or country of origin if refugee, returned traveller or recent immigrant, eosinophilia, HIV, immunocompromise, critical illness, admitted to ICU or previous parasite infection
○ Stool: Parasitology Kit (3 each of SAF yellow top vial, white top sterile vial)
○ Whole worm: sterile container

Stool
○ Collect faeces immediately after bowel movement in a dry, clean container (e.g. Chamber pot, wide-mouth jar, pie plate, newspaper, or saran wrap on toilet seat). Follow instructions below to add specimen to BOTH yellow and white capped containers. Specimen should not be contaminated with urine or toilet water.
Container 1 SAF (Yellow top) vial:
○ Use plastic spork attached to lid to add sample (from beginning, middle and end of stool) to yellow capped bottle so that the preservative fluid level is approximately ¾ full. Mix thoroughly by shaking. Ratio should be 1 part solid stool to 3 parts SAF or 1 part liquid stool to 1 part SAF.

Container 2 Sterile (White top) vial:
○ Using plastic spork, Add feces directly to sterile white capped container.
Whole worm
○ Collect worm in sterile container

Refer to section Sample Processing / Delivery
PHOL
○ Up to 5 days from receipt at PHO laboratory
416-586-4800 extension 4591
NO
○ Label specimen container. Place specimens in biohazard bag and seal.. Transport specimen to the laboratory within 72 hours.

○ Specimens should be stored at room temperature (20-25˚C) and transported to the UHN/SH Microbiology Laboratory ASAP after collection. For stool, keep Yellow top tube (SAF vial) at room temperature while the White-top vial should be refrigerated (2-8˚C) prior to transport.

○ The specimen will be referred to the Public Health Ontario Laboratory for testing