Hookworm-like eggs in children’s faecal samples from a rural area of Rwanda

Irisarri-Gutiérrez, María José; Muñoz-Antolí, Carla; Acosta, Lucrecia; Parker, Lucy Anne; Toledo, Rafael; Bornay-Llinares, Fernando J.; Esteban, J. Guillermo

doi:10.4314/ahs.v16i1.11

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…We could not observe protozoa cysts or oocyte. For misdiagnosis that agrees with previous reports: there can be misdiagnosis, false positives, or false negatives of other helminths such as Ascaris, Trichuris, Schistosoma mansoni, and hookworm eggs [12][13][14][15]. This suggests the need to examine multiple stool samples from participating individuals [1,16].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Formalin-fixed Stool Improves Performance of the Kato‑Katz method

Wisetmora

Artchayasawat

Laummaunwai

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Background Parasitic infections are a public health problem worldwide including in Thailand. An epidemiological survey for helminthiasis based on stool examination uses the Kato-Katz method as recommended by the WHO. Limitations of this method include the need for fresh stool as well as time requirements and a lack of quality control. These remain a big problem in parasite control policy. Our goal here was to use formalin-fixed stool samples to improve the diagnostic performance of the Kato-Katz method.Methods Stools were divided into two groups: formalin-fixed and unfixed stool groups at various time points and processes for the Kato-Katz method. Fresh Echinostome eggs were added to each stool group. The clearing process was increased by incubation with glycerol. Each group was observed and photographed under a light microscope. Parasite eggs were imaged and compared with the standard Kato-Katz method.Results The quality of Echinostome egg visualization from the slide of formalin-fixed stool was significantly better than the unfixed stool (p < 0.01). Stool fixed for seven days retains its normal Echinostome egg morphology. Incubation with glycerol for 1 h could increase the Kato-Katz performance by digesting the stool content and enhancing egg observation. Moreover, the result of Kato-Katz method using natural helminths infection fixed and fixed stool plus glycerol found the good quality of Opisthorchis viverrini and Taenia egg visualization, normal morphology with clear background of slide.Conclusions Formalin-fixed stool could be suitable and appropriate for the Kato-Katz method rather than fresh stool; it could be used for epidemiological studies.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Formalin-fixed Stool Improves Performance of the Kato‑Katz method

Wisetmora

Artchayasawat

Laummaunwai

et al. 2023

Preprint

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“…In a similar case, higher than expected rates of hookworm were noted in a survey of children in rural Rwanda. Further investigation suggested these results may have been confounded by Caenorhabditis elegans eggs (Irisarri-Gutiérrez et al, 2016). Additional examples of misidentification of hookworm ova as other eggs (Ralph et al, 2006; Werneck et al, 2007; Yong et al, 2007) show that such confusion may be a more common problem than previously thought.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Case for Using Genomics and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Develop Sensitive and Species-Specific PCR-Based Diagnostics for Soil-Transmitted Helminths

2019

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The balance of expense and ease of use vs. specificity and sensitivity in diagnostic assays for helminth disease is an important consideration, with expense and ease often winning out in endemic areas where funds and sophisticated equipment may be scarce. In this review, we argue that molecular diagnostics, specifically new assays that have been developed with the aid of next-generation sequence data and robust bioinformatic tools, more than make up for their expense with the benefit of a clear and precise assessment of the situation on the ground. Elimination efforts associated with the London Declaration and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2020 Roadmap have resulted in areas of low disease incidence and reduced infection burdens. An accurate assessment of infection levels is critical for determining where and when the programs can be successfully ended. Thus, more sensitive assays are needed in locations where elimination efforts are approaching a successful conclusion. Although microscopy or more general PCR targets have a role to play, they can mislead and cause study results to be confounded. Hyper-specific qPCR assays enable a more definitive assessment of the situation in the field, as well as of shifting dynamics and emerging diseases.

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“…Currently used parasitological methods frequently rely on light microscopy and have limited diagnostic accuracy, especially in light-intensity infections. Moreover, some species such as hookworms [ 4 ] or Taenia spp. [ 5 ] have almost identical eggs and are thus indistinguishable on microscopic identification.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Advances and Potential Future Applications of MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry for Identification of Helminths

Conrad

Becker

2022

Diagnostics

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Helminth infections caused by nematodes, trematodes, and cestodes are major neglected tropical diseases and of great medical and veterinary relevance. At present, diagnosis of helminthic diseases is mainly based on microscopic observation of different parasite stages, but microscopy is associated with limited diagnostic accuracy. Against this background, recent studies described matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry as a potential, innovative tool for helminth identification and differentiation. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is based on the analysis of spectra profiles generated from protein extracts of a given pathogen. It requires an available spectra database containing reference spectra, also called main spectra profiles (MSPs), which are generated from well characterized specimens. At present, however, there are no commercially available databases for helminth identification using this approach. In this narrative review, we summarize recent developments and published studies between January 2019 and September 2022 that report on the use of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for helminths. Current challenges and future research needs are identified and briefly discussed.

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Hookworm-like eggs in children’s faecal samples from a rural area of Rwanda

Cited by 9 publications

References 18 publications

Formalin-fixed Stool Improves Performance of the Kato‑Katz method

Formalin-fixed Stool Improves Performance of the Kato‑Katz method

A Case for Using Genomics and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Develop Sensitive and Species-Specific PCR-Based Diagnostics for Soil-Transmitted Helminths

Recent Advances and Potential Future Applications of MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry for Identification of Helminths

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