Comparison of McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC effi ciency methods in diagnostics of Ascaris suum infection in young pigs

Abstract

The coproovoscopic methods involving count chambers are widely used in the veterinary practice for diagnostics. These methods are important in assessments of the prevalence rates of nematode infections in pigs and for FECR tests. However, more basic data is needed on the efficiency of the commercial methods of diagnostics, tested at the different specific gravity of the flotation solutions. In a thorough analysis of publications of Ukrainian scientists, we have found that the data is sparse on the efficiency comparison of the modified McMaster’s and MiniFLOTAC methods. The aim of our study was to compare the efficiency of the commercial coproovoscopic techniques: the modified McMaster’s method (with sensitivity of 25 EPG), and MiniFLOTAC combined with Fill-FLOTAC (with sensitivity of 5 EPG) in testing for A. suum infection in piglets. Results of approbation of the mentioned methods are presented for the following saturated solutions: NaCl (SG=1.2), MgCl2 •6H2 O (SG =1.27) and NH4 NO3 (SG=1.28). Fecal samples were taken at own private farm, in Mlynok village of Onufriivka district, Kirovohrad region from 20 4 month old pigs with spontaneous A. suum infection. The laboratory assessments were performed in the Scientific Laboratory of Parasitology and Veterinary and Sanitary Expertise of the Poltava State Agrarian Academy. It is established that at high rates of A. suum infection in young pigs, McMaster’s method with the ammonium nitrate solution is more efficient compared to the Mini-FLOTAC method. In average, 5331.2 eggs of A. suum were determined per 1 g of feces using the former method, compared to 4567.5 EGP according to the Mini-FLOTAC technique (P < 0.001). The highest diagnostic efficiency of the modified McMasters method and the combination of Mini-FLOTAC and Fill-FLOTAC is seen when ammonium nitrate (NH4 NO3 ) solution of 1.28 SG is used (P < 0.001). Our results add new data on the efficiency of the commercial methods of diagnostics with varying specific gravity of the flotation solutions, for pigs infected with nematodes. Key words: EPG, pigs, nematode, ascariasis, diagnostics, efficiency.