title: Mini-FLOTAC, a new tool for copromicroscopic diagnosis of common intestinal nematodes in dogs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The 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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As Mini-FLOTAC does not require centrifugation it is a very promising technique for counting helminth eggs in dog faeces.
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Maurelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR Regione Campania, Via Della Veterinaria 1, 80137 Naples, Italy. lrinaldi@unina.it.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: Settimia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alfano
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pepe
authors.forename: Gerald C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Coles
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cringoli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013048:Specimen Handling
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