Comparison of the sensitivity of coprological methods in detecting Anoplocephala perfoliata invasions.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research investigates the effectiveness of different diagnostic tests for detecting the presence of Anoplocephala perfoliata (a type of tapeworm) in horses. The study found that the sedimentation-flotation method was the most sensitive technique for identifying these parasitic invasions.
Study Overview
The research involved the autopsy of 487 slaughter horses, of which 36 were found to be infected with Anoplocephala perfoliata. The infection levels varied significantly, ranging from 3 to 2,069 tapeworms per horse. Upon investigation, the researchers determined that twenty-nine of the infected horses had tapeworms with mature proglottid, a segment of a tapeworm containing fertilized eggs.
Comparison of Diagnostic Techniques
Various diagnostic methods were used in the study, including:
- Flotation with solution-saturated NaCl
- Decantation
- McMaster’s technique
- Modified sedimentation-flotation method
The researchers tested fecal samples from the horses using these techniques to determine the presence and number of A. perfoliata. The results of the tests revealed significant differences in sensitivity between the methods.
Results
The accuracy of the diagnostic techniques varied considerably:
- The sedimentation-flotation method detected the presence of A. perfoliata in 21 of the samples (58.33%).
- The flotation technique identified the parasite in 6 samples (16.66%).
- Decantation found the tapeworms in 3 samples (8.33%).
- McMaster’s method detected them in only 1 sample (2.77%).
Furthermore, the sensitivity of the methods during the patent period (when the tapeworms are mature and releasing eggs) was 20.69% for flotation, 10.34% for decantation, 3.45% for McMaster’s, and 72.41% for the sedimentation-flotation method.
The modified sedimentation-flotation method proved to be the most sensitive technique, capable of detecting an invasion as low as nine tapeworms with gravid proglottid.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland, krzysztof.tomczuk@up.lublin.pl.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cestoda / isolation & purification
- Cestode Infections / diagnosis
- Cestode Infections / parasitology
- Cestode Infections / veterinary
- Feces / parasitology
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Sensitivity and Specificity
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