Enteric & Gastrointestinal Infections

Causes & Risk Factors

Gastrointestinal infections are typically transmitted through contaminated food or water, or person-to-person contact:

•  Contaminated food or water — a common source of bacterial, viral, and parasitic gastrointestinal infections.

•  Poor sanitation and hygiene conditions.

•  Travel to areas with different sanitation standards ("traveler's diarrhea").

•  Recent antibiotic use — a recognized risk factor for Clostridioides difficile infection specifically.

•  Recent hospitalization — increases risk of certain healthcare-associated gastrointestinal infections.

•  Close contact with an infected person, particularly for highly contagious viral causes.

Symptoms & When to Test

Gastrointestinal infection symptoms vary by cause but commonly involve some combination of the following.

•  Diarrhea, which may be watery or, in some infections, bloody

•  Nausea and vomiting

•  Abdominal cramping or pain

•  Fever

•  Dehydration symptoms — reduced urination, dizziness, dry mouth

•  Prolonged or recurrent symptoms lasting more than a few days

When Should You Consider Testing?

Testing is generally appropriate for symptoms that are severe, bloody, prolonged beyond several days, recurrent, or occurring with specific risk factors (recent antibiotic use, recent hospitalization, recent travel, or in individuals with weakened immunity).

Why Tests Are Combined

Gastrointestinal multiplex PCR tests for multiple bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens simultaneously, which is often more efficient than sequential single-organism testing, especially since symptoms alone rarely reliably distinguish between different causative organisms.

Stool culture remains valuable specifically because, unlike molecular testing, it can provide antimicrobial susceptibility information for identified bacteria, which is important if targeted antibiotic treatment is being considered.

Targeted tests — C. difficile toxin/GDH, H. pylori antigen, and fecal calprotectin — each answer a specific clinical question distinct from general infection screening: C. difficile testing is specifically relevant after antibiotic use, H. pylori antigen testing addresses a different chronic infection associated with gastritis and ulcers, and fecal calprotectin helps distinguish inflammatory from non-inflammatory causes of gastrointestinal symptoms.

Tests Available at NPL

Most infectious-disease molecular tests and microbiological investigations do not require fasting. However, some blood tests ordered at the same time may have specific preparation requirements. Please follow the instructions provided by your doctor or NPL.

Home Sample Collection

NPL offers convenient home sample collection for Enteric & Gastrointestinal Infections blood tests, so you don't need to visit a lab in person.

→ Book your test online, via the NPL app, or by calling +977 1 5970147 and select a convenient time slot for home sample collection.

→ A certified and experienced NPL phlebotomist visits your home at the scheduled time, following strict hygiene and safety protocols.

→ Your sample is transported under controlled, monitored conditions to NPL's NABL accredited under ISO 15189:2022 laboratory for processing.

→ Your digital report is delivered securely to your phone or email, along with access to download and share it as needed.

When to See a Doctor

•  Bloody diarrhea

•  Signs of dehydration — reduced urination, dizziness, dry mouth

•  High fever with gastrointestinal symptoms

•  Symptoms lasting more than a few days without improvement

•  Recent antibiotic use with new, severe diarrhea (possible C. difficile infection)

•  Recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms