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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Rec / Validation of a centrifugation/flotation technique for the d...
The Veterinary record1992; 131(4); 71-72; doi: 10.1136/vr.131.4.71

Validation of a centrifugation/flotation technique for the diagnosis of equine cestodiasis.

Abstract: A centrifugation/flotation technique for the identification of equine tapeworm eggs is described. It was validated by using faeces samples from 80 horses of known tapeworm status, and had a sensitivity of 61 per cent and a specificity of 98 per cent. The exclusion of false negative results in animals with less than 20 tapeworms increased the sensitivity to 92 per cent. No significant correlation was found between the number of eggs observed and the number of tapeworms present in the horses.
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Publication Date: 1992-07-25 PubMed ID: 1529504DOI: 10.1136/vr.131.4.71Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article discusses the development and validation of a technique, involving centrifugation and flotation, for diagnosing equine cestodiasis, a disease caused by tapeworms in horses. The method showed a good degree of accuracy and precision in distinguishing infected horses.

Methodology

  • The research centered around creating and validating a technique for identifying tapeworm eggs in horses. This technique involved the processes of centrifugation and flotation.
  • The researchers used fecal samples from a total of 80 horses for this study. The selection of these horses was based on their known tapeworm status.

Results

  • The technique exhibited a sensitivity of 61%, meaning it was able to correctly identify 61% of actual positive cases, i.e., horses which were actually infected with tapeworms.
  • The specificity of the technique was estimated to be 98%, indicating it correctly identified 98% of actual negative cases, i.e., horses not infected with tapeworms. Specificity suggests how well the method can rule out healthy horses from the sample, minimizing false positives.

Further Findings

  • Adjustments to how the results were interpreted increased the sensitivity of the method. By excluding false-negative results in horses with less than 20 tapeworms, the sensitivity of the technique improved significantly to 92%.
  • No significant correlation was found between the number of eggs observed using the technique and the actual number of tapeworms present in the horse. This means the technique might not be able to accurately predict the intensity of the infection based on the number of eggs observed.

The research outlines the successful validation of a potential diagnostic method for equine cestodiasis. Despite some limitations, such as its inability to predict the severity of infection based on egg counts, the method exhibits a high level of specificity and adjustable sensitivity, promising a reliable way to confirm the presence or absence of the infection.

Cite This Article

APA
Proudman CJ, Edwards GB. (1992). Validation of a centrifugation/flotation technique for the diagnosis of equine cestodiasis. Vet Rec, 131(4), 71-72. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.131.4.71

Publication

The Veterinary record
ISSN: 0042-4900
NlmUniqueID: 0031164
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 131
Issue: 4
Pages: 71-72

Researcher Affiliations

Proudman, C J
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Neston, South Wirral.
Edwards, G B

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Centrifugation / methods
    • Centrifugation / veterinary
    • Cestode Infections / diagnosis
    • Cestode Infections / parasitology
    • Cestode Infections / veterinary
    • Feces / parasitology
    • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
    • Horse Diseases / parasitology
    • Horses
    • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / diagnosis
    • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / parasitology
    • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / veterinary
    • Parasite Egg Count / methods
    • Parasite Egg Count / veterinary
    • Parasitology / methods
    • Sensitivity and Specificity

    Citations

    This article has been cited 18 times.
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