Occult Blood

Occult blood is the presence of blood in stool that is not visible to the naked eye. Detecting occult blood is an important diagnostic test that helps identify pathological processes in the gastrointestinal tract.

• Causes of occult blood presence:
  • Peptic ulcer disease of the stomach and duodenum;
  • Inflammatory bowel diseases (colitis, Crohn’s disease);
  • Polyps and tumors of the gastrointestinal tract (including early-stage cancer);
  • Hemorrhoids and anal fissures;
  • Injuries to the intestinal mucosa;
  • Use of certain medications (e.g., anticoagulants).
• Detection methods:
  Chemical and immunological tests exist for detecting occult blood in stool. Immunochemical methods are more specific and sensitive as they react only with human blood.
• Clinical significance:
  A positive result requires further investigation to locate the bleeding source. It is important to consider possible false positives and negatives, which can occur due to improper sample collection, consumption of red meat, certain vegetables, vitamin C, and other factors.

Regular screening for occult blood is recommended for early detection of colorectal cancer and other serious gastrointestinal diseases.