title: Coprologically diagnosing Anoplocephala perfoliata in the presence of A. magna.
abstract: Current copro-diagnostic tests for Anoplocephala perfoliata show high variation in their sensitivity and given the morphological similarity of Anoplocephala spp. eggs, this could be related to the presence of Anoplocephala magna alone or co-existing with A. perfoliata. In the present study, coprology was significantly more sensitive (p<0.01) at detecting A. magna than A. perfoliata. This difference was independent of the parasite burden and was greater when testing was limited to horses with mature or gravid tapeworms. A. magna infection was strongly linked to young horses (≤ 2 years). The eggs of A. magna are smaller. Using 15 and 70 μm cut-offs for oncosphere diameter and the major shell bisector length, respectively, the eggs of A. perfoliata were identified with 100% sensitivity, 97% specificity and 98% sensitivity, 84% specificity. The use of these two morphometric variables would therefore be useful for the copro-identification of A. perfoliata in countries where both species coexist.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida de Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bohórquez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida de Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Aránzazu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meana
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínico Veterinario, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio, Avenida Universidad 1, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28691 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Nélida F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Pato
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida de Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: mluzon@vet.ucm.es.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luzón
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002589:Cestoda / Q000166:cytology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002590:Cestode Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D010063:Ovum / Q000166:cytology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: Anoplocephala magna; Anoplocephala perfoliata; Copro-diagnosis; Host-age distribution; Sensitivity; Specificity