title: A comparison of methods for detecting the eggs of Ascaris, Trichuris, and hookworm in infant stool, and the epidemiology of infection in Zanzibari infants.
abstract: This study compared five methods for detecting the eggs of the human parasitic geohelminths Ascaris, Trichuris, and hookworm in infant stool, and describes the epidemiology of infection in infants from a parasite-endemic area. A total of 424 infants 5-11 months old were enrolled from three villages on Pemba Island, Zanzibar. Methods used included the Kato-Katz technique, formol ethyl acetate sedimentation, modified formol ethyl acetate sedimentation, modified Wisconsin floatation, and simple gravity sedimentation. Of methods used alone, Wisconsin floatation and simple gravity sedimentation each provided the highest sensitivity for detecting eggs of these three geohelminths (89.6%). Of methods used in combination, the Kato-Katz technique/simple gravity sedimentation and Wisconsin floatation/simple gravity sedimentation each provided the highest sensitivity (99.0%). Prevalence of geohelminth infection was 26.5%. Between five and nine months of age the mean prevalence was 9.4%, while at 10 and 11 months of age the mean prevalence was 43.4%. Village prevalence varied from 3.6% to 43.8%. Infant geohelminth infection can occur at a high prevalence, and what method is best depends on research specifics.
authors.affiliation: Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. dave_goodman@doh.state.fl.us
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Hamad J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Haji
authors.forename: Quentin D
authors.initials: QD
authors.lastname: Bickle
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Stoltzfus
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tielsch
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramsan
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Savioli
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albonico
mesh_terms: D000722:Ancylostoma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000724:Ancylostomiasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000818:Animals; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001200:Ascaris / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010063:Ovum; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D014257:Trichuriasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014258:Trichuris / Q000302:isolation & purification