title: Hookworm-like eggs in children's faecal samples from a rural area of Rwanda.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hookworm eggs identification and quantification is usually carried out by Kato-Katz method. However various structures present in the smear may be confused with eggs of such parasites.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To document the presence of structures in Kato-Katz slides that could initially be misinterpreted as hookworm eggs.
  
  
  METHODS
  497 faecal samples were analysed by Kato-Katz technique, diphasic concentration technique, agar-plate coprocultive and larvae obtained were analysed by PCR and characterized by sequencing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hookworm-like eggs were found in 159 (32%) of the samples by Kato-Katz, finally identified as Caenorhabditis elegans by PCR technique.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diagnosis of human hookworm eggs, only by the use of Kato-Katz technique can lead to false positives because of similarities with eggs of other free-living worms, from wet soils like those of Rwanda that could contaminate stool samples.
authors.affiliation: Área de Parasitología del Departament de Biología Cel.lular i Parasitología, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Irisarri-Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: Área de Parasitología del Departament de Biología Cel.lular i Parasitología, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Antolí
authors.affiliation: Área de Parasitología del Departamento de Agroquímica y Medioambiente, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Alicante, Spain; Laboratorio de Análisis Clínicos, Sanatorio "Fontilles", Vall de Laguar, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Lucrecia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Salud Pública Historia de la Ciencia y Ginecología, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Lucy Anne
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: Área de Parasitología del Departament de Biología Cel.lular i Parasitología, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Toledo
authors.affiliation: Área de Parasitología del Departamento de Agroquímica y Medioambiente, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando Jorge
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Bornay-Llinares
authors.affiliation: Área de Parasitología del Departament de Biología Cel.lular i Parasitología, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: José Guillermo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Esteban
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000723:Ancylostomatoidea / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D006725:Hookworm Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012424:Rural Population; D012432:Rwanda; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: Hookworm eggs; Kato-Katz method; Rwanda; misclassification