What does a negative result in a fecal occult blood test indicate?

A negative result in a fecal occult blood test indicates no presence of blood in the feces, which suggests that there are no underlying issues related to bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract at the time of testing. The primary purpose of this test is to detect hidden (occult) blood that may not be visible to the naked eye but can indicate various health conditions, such as polyps or cancers within the digestive system.

In this case, a negative result is reassuring because it generally means that the likelihood of significant gastrointestinal bleeding is low. Meanwhile, other options discuss conditions or states that are unrelated to what a fecal occult blood test is designed to measure. For instance, the presence of infection or gastrointestinal bleeding would typically be indicated by a positive result instead, and high blood pressure is not assessed by this test at all. Therefore, the correct interpretation aligns directly with the purpose and design of the fecal occult blood test.