Abstract
BackgroundThe most common intestinal nematodes of dogs are Toxocara canis, hookworm and Trichuris vulpis. The present study was aimed to validate a new copromicroscopic technique, the Mini-FLOTAC and to compare its diagnostic efficiency and sensitivity with four other copromicroscopic techniques: direct smear, tube flotation, Wisconsin method and the FLOTAC dual technique.FindingsTwo experiments were performed. In the first, faecal positive samples collected from 59 stray asymptomatic dogs, of which 21 were naturally infected with ancylostomidae, 13 naturally infected with T. canis and 25 naturally infected with T. vulpis were used to validate the Mini-FLOTAC technique. The second experiment was performed on faecal samples randomly selected from 38 stray asymptomatic dogs to compare the diagnostic efficiency and sensitivity of the different techniques. Samples were fixed with 5% formalin; sodium chloride and zinc sulphate were used for flotation solutions because they performed best for detecting and quantifying intestinal nematode eggs in dogs. Mini-FLOTAC and FLOTAC were the most efficient and sensitive techniques and they gave higher EPG and higher numbers of positive samples in both the experiments, for all three parasites.ConclusionsAs Mini-FLOTAC does not require centrifugation it is a very promising technique for counting helminth eggs in dog faeces.
Highlights
The most common intestinal nematodes of dogs are Toxocara canis, hookworm and Trichuris vulpis
The present study was aimed at comparing the Mini-FLOTAC technique (MFT) with four other microscopic techniques: direct smear, flotation in tube, flotation in centrifuge (Wisconsin method) and the FLOTAC dual technique (FDT)
Experiment 1 Faecal samples were collected from 59 asymptomatic naturally infected dogs with T.canis (13 samples), ancylostomidae (21 samples) and T.vulpis (25 samples) that were previously analysed with FDT, using two flotation solutions (FSs), sodium chloride (FS2, specific gravity = 1.20) and zinc sulphate (FS7, specific gravity = 1.35) [9]
Summary
The most common intestinal nematodes in dogs are Toxocara canis, hookworm and Trichuris vulpis [1]. Several quantitative microscopic techniques (faecal egg count, FEC) utilizing the flotation method are used in parasitology for the study, diagnosis and counting of parasitic eggs, larvae, oocysts and cysts per gram of faeces (EPG, LPG, OPG, CPG) in animals and humans [8]. The present study was aimed at comparing the Mini-FLOTAC technique (MFT) with four other microscopic techniques: direct smear, flotation in tube, flotation in centrifuge (Wisconsin method) and the FLOTAC dual technique (FDT). For these purposes, two experiments were performed using faeces samples from dogs naturally infected with T. canis, ancylostomidae, and T. vulpis
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
