Effect of Storage Time and Temperature on Fecal Leukocytes and Occult Blood in the Evaluation of Travelers' Diarrhea.

Both the presence of fecal leukocytes and occult blood in stool specimens of travelers with diarrhea have been used as indicators of colonic inflammation due to bacterial infection. This study was conducted to determine if storage temperature of stool specimens can affect the detection of leukocytes and occult blood. Sixteen specimens positive for occult blood and 23 specimens positive for leukocytes were divided into two aliquots.