Reliability of coprological diagnosis of Anoplocephala perfoliata infection.
Abstract: Three coprological methods were tested to establish the reliability of in vivo diagnosis of Anoplocephala perfoliata. A total of 107 faecal samples were analyzed, and the presence of tapeworms were confirmed postmortem in 24 animals with burdens that ranged from 1 to 248 worms; most of them (71%) with less than 100 parasites. Best results were obtained with a combination of two sedimentation/flotation methods, detecting only half the parasitized animals (54% sensitivity). No relationship could be established between tapeworm burden and egg detection, but results indicate that coprological methods have a lower likelihood of diagnosing cestode infection when horses have less than 100 tapeworms.
Publication Date: 1998-03-11 PubMed ID: 9493312DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(97)00145-3Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigates the reliability of three coprological methods for the detection of Anoplocephala perfoliata (a type of tapeworm) in horses. The methods demonstrated limited success, with the best results coming from a combination of sedimentation and flotation techniques, achieving a diagnosis sensitivity of 54%.
Background of the Research
- Three coprological methods were examined in this study. Coprological methods involve analyzing fecal matter to identify parasitic infections like that of the tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata.
- The examination involved 107 fecal samples from different animals. Postmortem examinations confirmed a tapeworm presence in 24 of these animals.
Main Findings
- The best diagnostic outcome was achieved using a combination of two methods: sedimentation and flotation.
- This combination method was able to detect tapeworm infections in only about half of the infected animals, resulting in a sensitivity of 54%.
- The burdens of the parasitic tapeworms ranged from 1 to 248 worms in the affected animals. Most of the animals (71%) had less than 100 parasites.
Correlation Analysis
- The study found no direct relationship between the burden of tapeworms (number of tapeworms an animal is carrying) and egg detection. This may imply that even animals carrying a significant number of worms may not excrete a detectable number of eggs in their feces, making diagnosis through these methods unreliable.
- Note that results suggest coprological methods have a lower propensity to correctly diagnose cestode (a class of parasitic worms, which includes tapeworms) infections when the animals have fewer than 100 tapeworms.
Conclusion of the Research
- The research underscores the limitations of using coprological methods for diagnosing A. perfoliata infection in animals.
- Further improvement and refinement of diagnosis methods are needed to increase accuracy, especially in cases with lesser worm burdens.
Cite This Article
APA
Meana A, Luzon M, Corchero J, Gómez-Bautista M.
(1998).
Reliability of coprological diagnosis of Anoplocephala perfoliata infection.
Vet Parasitol, 74(1), 79-83.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-4017(97)00145-3 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departamento de Patología Animal I (Sanidad Animal), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. ameana@eucmax.sim.ucm.es
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cestoda / isolation & purification
- Cestode Infections / parasitology
- Cestode Infections / pathology
- Cestode Infections / veterinary
- Death
- Horse Diseases
- Horses
- Parasite Egg Count / methods
- Parasite Egg Count / veterinary
- Reproducibility of Results
- Spain
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- Girisgin O, Gülegen E, Girisgin AO, Cirak VY. Potassium carbonate as an alternative solution for detecting Anoplocephalid eggs in horse faecal samples. BMC Vet Res 2025 Dec 22;22(1):30.
- Northcote HM, Wititkornkul B, Cutress DJ, Allen ND, Brophy PM, Wonfor RE, Morphew RM. A dominance of Mu class glutathione transferases within the equine tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata. Parasitology 2024 Mar;151(3):282-294.
- Matthews JB, Peczak N, Lightbody KL. The Use of Innovative Diagnostics to Inform Sustainable Control of Equine Helminth Infections. Pathogens 2023 Oct 11;12(10).
- Burcáková L, Königová A, Kuzmina TA, Austin CJ, Matthews JB, Lightbody KL, Peczak NA, Syrota Y, Várady M. Equine tapeworm (Anoplocephala spp.) infection: evaluation of saliva- and serum-based antibody detection methods and risk factor analysis in Slovak horse populations. Parasitol Res 2023 Dec;122(12):3037-3052.
- Ilić T, Bogunović D, Nenadović K, Gajić B, Dimitrijević S, Popović G, Kulišić Z, Milosavljević P. Gastrointestinal Helminths in Horses in Serbia and Various Factors Affecting the Prevalence. Acta Parasitol 2023 Mar;68(1):56-69.
- Ghafar A, Abbas G, King J, Jacobson C, Hughes KJ, El-Hage C, Beasley A, Bauquier J, Wilkes EJA, Hurley J, Cudmore L, Carrigan P, Tennent-Brown B, Nielsen MK, Gauci CG, Beveridge I, Jabbar A. Comparative studies on faecal egg counting techniques used for the detection of gastrointestinal parasites of equines: A systematic review. Curr Res Parasitol Vector Borne Dis 2021;1:100046.
- Nechybová S, Vejl P, Hart V, Melounová M, Čílová D, Vašek J, Jankovská I, Vadlejch J, Langrová I. Long-term occurrence of Trichuris species in wild ruminants in the Czech Republic. Parasitol Res 2018 Jun;117(6):1699-1708.
- Tomczuk K, Kostro K, Grzybek M, Szczepaniak K, Studzińska M, Demkowska-Kutrzepa M, Roczeń-Karczmarz M. Seasonal changes of diagnostic potential in the detection of Anoplocephala perfoliata equine infections in the climate of Central Europe. Parasitol Res 2015 Feb;114(2):767-72.
- Tomczuk K, Kostro K, Szczepaniak KO, Grzybek M, Studzińska M, Demkowska-Kutrzepa M, Roczeń-Karczmarz M. Comparison of the sensitivity of coprological methods in detecting Anoplocephala perfoliata invasions. Parasitol Res 2014 Jun;113(6):2401-6.
- Elsener J, Villeneuve A. Does examination of fecal samples 24 hours after cestocide treatment increase the sensitivity of Anoplocephala spp. detection in naturally infected horses?. Can Vet J 2011 Feb;52(2):158-61.
- Francisco I, Arias M, Cortiñas FJ, Francisco R, Mochales E, Dacal V, Suárez JL, Uriarte J, Morrondo P, Sánchez-Andrade R, Díez-Baños P, Paz-Silva A. Intrinsic Factors Influencing the Infection by Helminth Parasites in Horses under an Oceanic Climate Area (NW Spain). J Parasitol Res 2009;2009.
- Slocombe JO. A modified critical test for the efficacy of pyrantel pamoate for Anoplocephala perfoliata in equids. Can J Vet Res 2004 Apr;68(2):112-7.
- McAloon FM. Oribatid mites as intermediate hosts of Anoplocephala manubriata, cestode of the Asian elephant in India. Exp Appl Acarol 2004;32(3):181-5.
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