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Fecal smear - Results

Alternative Names

Stool smear

Normal Values:

A normal result means no disease-causing organisms are present.

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

What abnormal results mean:

An abnormal result means that abnormal bacteria or other organisms have been found in the stool sample, which may signal an infection of the digestive tract.

Lower digestive anatomy

Reviewed last on: 11/2/2008
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

DuPont HL. Approach to the patient with suspected enteric infeciton. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 305.

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