Human Blood Parasite Screen

18S Amplicon Sequencing for Systemic Eukaryotic Pathogen Detection

The PathOID.ai Human Blood Parasite Screen uses 18S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing to identify eukaryotic parasites and fungi circulating systemically in the bloodstream. Sequencing reads are classified against a curated reference database of nearly 500,000 18S rRNA sequences spanning 33 eukaryotic phyla, developed specifically for eukaryotic pathogen detection.

Why blood: The bloodstream represents the most direct window into systemic eukaryotic organism burden. Several of the most clinically significant parasitic organisms in human medicine are blood-borne, circulating through the vascular system and establishing infection in organs, tissues, and the central nervous system. Many of these infections are subclinical for extended periods, presenting with nonspecific symptoms such as chronic fatigue, cognitive changes, and intermittent fever that are rarely attributed to parasitic causes in standard clinical workups. Blood-based 18S sequencing captures organism DNA shed into circulation, providing a systemic complement to gut and mucosal sampling.

Organisms targeted include: Plasmodium species (malaria), Babesia species, Trypanosoma species, Leishmania species, Toxoplasma gondii, Filaria species, Acanthamoeba species, pathogenic fungi including Candida, Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus species, and hundreds of additional eukaryotic organisms across 33 phyla.

Accepted Sample Type: Finger-prick blood spot or venous whole blood (home collection kit included)

⚠️ This is not a diagnostic test. The PathOID.ai Human Blood Parasite Screen is an educational and research tool only. Results do not constitute a medical diagnosis and are not a substitute for professional medical evaluation. If you have concerns about systemic parasitic infection or bloodborne organisms, consult a licensed physician or infectious disease specialist.