Abstract
The increasingly close proximity between people and animals is of great concern for public health, given the risk of exposure to infectious diseases transmitted through animals, which are carriers of more than 60 zoonotic agents. These diseases, which are included in the list of Neglected Tropical Diseases, cause losses in countries with tropical and subtropical climates, and in regions with temperate climates. Indeed, they affect more than a billion people around the world, a large proportion of which are infected by one or more parasitic helminths, causing annual losses of billions of dollars. Several studies are being conducted in search for differentiated, more sensitive diagnostics with fewer errors. These studies, which involve the automated examination of intestinal parasites, still face challenges that must be overcome in order to ensure the proper identification of parasites. This includes a protocol that allows for elimination of most of the debris in samples, satisfactory staining of parasite structures, and a robust image database. Our objective here is therefore to offer a critical description of the techniques currently in use for the automated diagnosis of intestinal parasites in fecal samples, as well as advances in these techniques.
Highlights
Parasitic infectious diseases pose an important public health problem, in developing countries, where basic sanitation services are often poor, and diseases are aggravated by environmental factors such as temperature, type of soil, seasonal precipitation and overall climate in each geographic region [1].The increasingly close proximity between people and their pet animals, which are kept for companionship, entertainment and emotional support, increases the risk of exposure to infectious diseases, since animals are carriers of more than 60 zoonotic agents [2]
These diseases are included in the list of “Neglected Tropical Diseases,” causing losses in countries with tropical and subtropical climates and in regions with temperate climates and Automated Diagnosis Evolution Diagnosis affecting more than a billion people, one sixth of the world population, a large proportion of which are infected by one or more helminths, causing billions of dollars in losses every year [7]
Several studies are being conducted to devise differentiated, more sensitive diagnostics with fewer errors. These studies, which involve the automated examination of intestinal parasites (Table 1), still face challenges that must be overcome in order to ensure the proper identification of parasites
Summary
Parasitic infectious diseases pose an important public health problem, in developing countries, where basic sanitation services are often poor, and diseases are aggravated by environmental factors such as temperature, type of soil, seasonal precipitation and overall climate in each geographic region [1]. These challenges must be overcome so that a more precise technique with specific results, involving a wide variety of parasites, can be developed [36] Such good results can be achieved by using a new technique known as the TF-Test (Three Fecal Test), which has performed well, showing good sensitivity in studies with fecal samples from humans, cattle, sheep and dogs. In the field of veterinary medicine, this new protocol has shown good performance in the diagnosis of intestinal parasites in dogs This justifies the continuing development of automated diagnostics, which requires a protocol to obtain a cleaner slides, free of impurities and debris, enabling the computer system to more accurately identify parasite structures [38]. Our objective is to critically describe the techniques currently in use for the automated diagnosis of intestinal parasites in fecal samples, as well as advances in these techniques, demonstrating the necessary requirements for their automation (Figure 2)
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