Infection may be suspected based upon a patient's occupation, hobbies, eating habits, and travel history. During diagnostic procedures, standard safety precautions apply. Eggs are not directly infectious to humans (in contrast to some other tapeworm species). Microscopy Diagnosis is usually made by identifying proglottid segments, or characteristic eggs in the faeces. Eggs are usually numerous and can be demonstrated without concentration techniques. Morphologic comparison with other intestinal parasites may be employed as a further diagnostic approach. These simple diagnostic techniques are able to identify the nature of the infection to the genus level, which is usually sufficient in a clinical setting. Though it is difficult to identify the eggs or proglottids to the species level, the distinction is of little clinical importance because - like most adult tapeworms in the intestine - all members of the genus respond to the same treatments. Treatment may distort morphological features of expelled pathogen tissues and complicate subsequent morphological diagnosis attempts. Genetic identification When the exact species need be determined (e.g. in epidemiological studies), restriction fragment length polymorphisms can be effectively used. PCR can be performed on samples of purified eggs, or on native fecal samples following sonication of the eggs to release their contents. Molecular identification is currently generally only used in research. Radiography A potential diagnostic tool and treatment is the contrast medium gastrografin which, when introduced into the duodenum, allows both visualization of the parasite, and has also been shown to cause detachment and passing of the whole parasite.
Diphyllobothriasis
Otomycosis
Onychomycosis
Demodicosis
Protothecosis
Herpes labialis
Tinea faciei
Geotrichosis