Can all parasites be discovered with a stool exam?

Parasites are not evaluated in a standard stool examination. Special testing is required. Moreover, as you “feared”, not all parasites can be detected by regular tests, and sometimes require more sophisticated ones. That said, most people living in Western countries do not have parasites.

I had all sorts of comments lined up concerning an ex-wife but.. I just don’t have one….. yet.

As far as the poopy parasite idea… meh. I’ve never once had my stool examined… and so far I’m still a living, breathing, machine of a man (ok, I embellished on that last part).

Not all parasites live in the GI tract, so no.

The people featured on the show were Americans who travelled to places, such as Peace Corps volunteers, people on the Amazing Race show, etc.
Besides the fact that I live in Central America I like travelling…. maybe I don´t camp outside on my trips, but I´m afraid of getting parasites in my food!
Well, one of the best things to do for your health is to have regular checkups, believe me…
(good point Lightlyseared, that makes sense…. so how can one be sure that something itching or bugging isn´t a parasite (!) The show featured a lady who didn´t realize she had parasites for ten years, and suddenly needed brain surgery (!)

Here an example of a parasite that is found in blood, tissue and other bodily fluids. It is called toxoplasma gondi, and is commonly known as the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis which is a concern for pregnant women.

I have to bring a stool sample w. Milo for his yearly physical. The vet checks for all sorts of nasty things. I don’t much relish my part in this either.

My oldest step-son got a parasite in Mexico; it took months for a proper diagnosis and a long time to get rid of whatever it.

Here is a good link on testing for ova and parasites. As @shilolo said, it’s not part of a routine physical exam – it’s ordered if the patient is having suggestive symptoms. I order it occasionally, usually when my patient has been having diarrhea and/or intestinal cramping, especially if they tell me they have traveled outside the US or been camping and drinking water that may not have been purified. I think it’s unlikely that the lab routinely tests for every intestinal parasite known to infect humans – most labs focus on the parasites they see most frequently unless more exotic varieties are specified in the order. Your care provider should be able to tell you what specific organisms the lab is checking for. In my lab, for exapmle, I have to order a test for giardia separately from the O&P test.

Thanks for the links! I took a look at them and will have to refer to them in the future. I heard of toxoplasma but didn´t know that toxoplasma was a parasite too. I guess we should always be on the lookout for them, and maybe even try to get training to spot them!
Someone near me has the flu, it reminds me that the show said that even malaria was caused by a parasite ! Who knows how many more flu-like diseases are caused by parasites…