title: The comparison of FLOTAC, FECPAK and McMaster techniques for nematode egg counts in cattle.
abstract: Three methods, FLOTAC, FECPAK and McMaster were compared for accuracy and sensitivity for counting numbers of nematode eggs in faeces of naturally infected cattle with high or low nematode egg counts. Only FLOTAC gave positive results for 12 replicates from pooled samples with low egg counts making it more sensitive than FECPAK (67%) and McMaster (41.7%). FLOTAC resulted in generally higher egg counts and lower coefficients of variation than the other two methods used. The reliability of FECPAK and McMaster is depended on the area under the slide counted. All three methods can be used for making decisions whether to treat but FLOTAC or Mini-FLOTAC should be used for faecal egg count reduction tests when lower egg counts are present.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR Regione Campania, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bosco
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Maurelli
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Musella
authors.forename: Gerald C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Coles
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cringoli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D009348:Nematoda / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D010063:Ovum / Q000502:physiology*; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity