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Home > Conditions & Concerns > Diagnostic Tests > Routine Examination of Feces

Routine Examination Of Feces

Chemical Examination 

Normal stools are slightly acidic, slightly alkaline or neutral.  The pH values range from 5.8 to 7.5.

1. Strongly acidic stool (pH below 5.5) indicates an excess of carbohydrates in the diet.  It is non-pathologic.  But, if fermentation is present, it may be due to lactose intolerance.  Then, it is pathologic.

2. Strongly alkaline stool (pH above 7.5) indicates an excess of protein in the diet.  It is non-pathologic.

3. Occult blood: Generally it is not present.  If there, it indicates either infection or some disorder of the digestive system.

4. Reducing substances:  They are generally found in stools of infants suffering from diarrhea.

Various Blood Tests

Physical
    Examination

Chemical
    Examination

Microscopic
    Examination  

Microscopic Examination

Cells

1. Pus Cells: 
   Normally, a few are present.  More than a few indicates bacillary dysentery or ulcerative colitis.

2. Epithelial Cells:
   Normally a few are present.  If many are present, however, it indicates inflammation of the bowels.

3. Macrophages:
   Normally, present only occasionally.
   If many are present, it indicates bacillary dysentery or ulcerative colitis.

4. Erythrocytes (Red Blood Cells)
   Normally absent.  If present, it indicates lesions in the colon, rectum or the anus.  If clumped, it means amoebiasis (a kind of infective dysentery)

Crystals 

1. Triple phosphate or calcium oxalate crystals: Normally present due to indigestion of foods like spinach, tomatoes, berries etc.

2. Charcot Leyden crystals: Normally absent.  If present, it indicates ulcerative conditions or amoebiasis

3. Hematoidin crystals:  Normally absent.  If present, it indicates intestinal hemorrhage.

Vegetable Matter

Normally present as residual constituents.

Animal Matter

Normally present as residual contents, or undigested fibers.

Undigested Ingredients

1. Starch:
   Normally absent.  If present in a high proportions, it indicates indigestion.

2. Fat:
   Normally absent.  If present in high proportions, it indicates indigestion.

Other Findings

1. Yeast cells:  Normally present.

2. Bacteria: Normally gram negative are present.

If a high percentage of gram positive bacteria are present, it indicates intestinal ulceration.

Intestinal Protozoa 

There are pathogenic and non-pathogenic protozoa found in stool.

Non-pathogenic Entamoeba coli-cysts or vegetative form. Iodamoeba butschili - cysts. Endolimax nana - cysts.

Pathogenic

	Entamoeba histolytica - cysts or vegetative form.
	Giardia lamblia - cysts.
	Balantidium coli - cysts.
	Giardia lamblia - vegetative form.

Nematohelminths

They are pathogenic in nature.  The different kinds of worms found are:

1. Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm).

2. Trichuris trichuria (whipworm).

3. Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm).

4. Ankylostoma duodenale (hookworm).

5. Nectar americanus.

6. Strongyloides stercoralis.

Platyhelminths

They are pathogenic in nature:

1. Taenia saginata

2. Taenia solium (tape worms)

The different kinds of tape worms found are: 

	Beef tape worm.
	Pork tape worm.
	Dwarf tape worm.
	Dog tape worm.

Trematodes

They are pathogenic in nature, generally known as fluke:

1. Schistosoma hematobium.

2. Schistosoma mansoni.

3. Schistosoma japonicum.