Clinical consequences of PCR based diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infections

The implementation of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based diagnostics of intestinal protozoa have led to higher sensitivity and (subtype) specificity, more convenient sampling and the possibility for high-throughput screening. An increasing number of clinical laboratories use PCR for routine detection of human intestinal protozoa in fecal samples. This paper discusses the recent developments in the diagnosis of intestinal protozoa, with an emphasis on PCR based diagnostics. Though many reviews have described the technical aspects of PCR based diagnostics, this review focuses on the clinical consequences that result from the shift from microscopic toward PCR based diagnostics. Despite its undisputed superiority, the use of PCR has challenges that clinicians should be aware of. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.