診断臨床寄生虫学—正しい検体採取法と処理法

Diagnostic Clinical Parasitology: Proper Specimen Collection and Processing

　ここ数年来，微生物学の重要な分野の一つとして診断寄生虫学の関心が高まってきている．このことは次のようなことから明らかである．

　1）かつては熱帯地方のみに見られた寄生虫症と同様の疾患について，合衆国ではCDCからのみならず，他の施設からも2〜3の地方病的な寄生虫感染症の論文報告が増加している．2）世界旅行が盛んになり，それが，旅行者が旅行中に寄生虫感染を起こす可能性を増大せしめた，3）アメリカ寄生虫学者協会の教育委員会によって，一組の最小限のガイドラインが決められ，アメリカの臨床検査技師会の科学部会の寄生虫学部科会／微生物部分によって宣伝された．4）寄生虫症やその診断手技に関する著書が増加し，さらにワークショップや自己研修評価プログラムが臨床検査技師と同じく医師にも組まれている．5）今や多くの会社が検体採取に関するあるいは種々の診断手技に関する新しい製品（著書）の計画を申し出ている．

During the last few years, there has been an increase in the recognition of diagnostic parasitology^*1 as an important area of microbiology. This is evident from the following :

1) Increased publicity^*2 is seen, not only from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), but also from other groups concerning the outbreaks of some endemic parasitic infections in the United States as well as parasitic diseases formerly seen only in tropical area of the world. 2) Increased world travel has led to the possibility of persons^*3 developing parasitic infections during their travels. 3) A set of minimum guidelines was established by the Committee on Education, American Society of Parasitologists and these guidelines were expanded by the Parasitology Subcommittee/Microbiology Section of Scientific Assembly, American Society for Medical Technology (ASMT). 4) Publications^*4 dealing with parasitic diseases and diagnostic procedures have multipled ; and more workshops and self-assessment programs are now available for physicians as well as laboratory technologists. 5) A number of companies now offer new products*5 designed for specimen collection and for various diagnostic procedures.