COMPENDIUM ON FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE - Flipbook - Page 280
● Generally more sensitive than microscopy for specific
parasites
● Commercially available for Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and
Entamoeba
● Limited by availability for other parasites
Conventional Blood Tests
● Complete Blood Count (CBC): May show eosinophilia in
helminthic infections
● Serological Testing: Measures antibody response to specific
parasites
● Liver Function Tests: May be elevated in certain parasitic
infections affecting the liver
Advanced Functional Assessment Methods
Recent advances in diagnostic technology have expanded the
options for parasite detection, often with improved sensitivity
compared to conventional methods:
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Multiplex PCR Panels
Molecular testing has revolutionized parasite detection:
● Sensitivity: Can detect parasites at much lower
concentrations than microscopy
● Specificity: Can differentiate between pathogenic and
non-pathogenic species
● Comprehensive Coverage: Multiplex panels can
simultaneously test for dozens of organisms
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology
demonstrated that PCR-based methods detected up to 25% more
parasitic infections than conventional microscopy [27].
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