Coprodiagnostic

Coprodiagnostic is a term used in medicine to describe the diagnostic workup based on fecal specimens. Derived from copr-, the Greek kopros meaning feces, and diagnostic, it encompasses tests that detect pathogens, inflammatory markers, or microbiota signals in stool to identify the cause of gastrointestinal symptoms or track infection.

In clinical practice, coprodiagnostic approaches include microscopic examination for parasites (ova and parasites), stool culture for bacterial pathogens, antigen-based assays (ELISA) for Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and rotavirus, and molecular methods such as PCR or multiplex panels that detect a range of organisms from stool. Coprodiagnostic methods are used in both human medicine and veterinary medicine.

Advantages of coprodiagnostics include being noninvasive and providing direct evidence of intestinal infection to guide treatment. Limitations include intermittent shedding or low pathogen burden leading to false negatives, the influence of stool consistency and collection quality on results, potential inhibitors affecting molecular tests, and interpretation challenges distinguishing colonization from active infection. Testing also often requires specialized laboratory facilities and expertise.

Etymology and scope: the term is sometimes used interchangeably with fecal diagnostic testing and is widely employed in gastroenterology and parasitology. In veterinary medicine it is used to diagnose helminths and protozoa in companion animals and livestock.