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Laboratory Guidelines For Acute Diarrhea The individual clinician is in the best position to
Suggested Physician Ordering Plan for the Laboratory Examination of Stool Specimens determine which tests are most appropriate for a
Washington State Department of Health Clinical Laboratory Advisory Council particular patient.
Originally published: October 2010/April 2014
Yes
No
Positive
Findings Not nflammatory Inflammatory
Yes
History Watery Stools Frequent small volume stools -Shigella
Large volume stools Bloody stools Negative -Salmonella
Minimal or no blood Abdominal cramping -Campylobacter
Lab Tests - fecal WBC + fecal WBC -Yersinia*
- fecal lactoferrin + fecal lactoferrin -Vibrio*
- fecal blood + fecal blood -Enterohemorrhagic E.coli
Stool Ova & Parasite Exam
No *Notify lab if suspected
Negative Positive
-Rule out medication induced
-Rule out Giardia lamblia by
Giardia/Cryptosporidium Entamoeba histolytica
Giardia antigen test
Immunoassay Strongyloides stercoralis
Treat symptoms and observe
(See also chronic diarrhea) Negative Positive
Negative Positive
Negative Positive
Negative Positive