infections
Trichinosis
Diagnosis of Trichinosis
Blood tests to detect antibodies to the parasite Trichinosis cannot be diagnosed by microscopic examination of the stool. Blood tests for antibodies toTrichinella spiralisare fairly reliable, but they are not positive until 3 to 5 weeks after symptoms start. If the results are negative, a doctor usually bases an initial diagnosis of trichinosis on symptoms and the presence of elevated levels of eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) in a blood sample. The antibody test is repeated at weekly intervals for several weeks to confirm the diagnosis. A biopsy of muscle tissue (in which a sample of tissue is removed and examined under a microscope), done after the second week of infection, may reveal larvae or cysts but is seldom necessary. 