The combination of three faecal parasitological methods to improve the diagnosis of schistosomiasis mansoni in a low endemic setting in the state of Ceará, Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Pinheiro,Marta Cristhiany Cunha
• Data de Publicação: 2012
• Outros Autores: Carneiro,Teiliane Rodrigues, Hanemann,Ana Lúcia de Paula, Oliveira,Sara Menezes de, Bezerra,Fernando Schemelzer Moraes
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
• Texto Completo: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762012000700006
• topic: diagnosis; Schistosoma mansoni; Kato-Katz; ELISA; saline gradient; Helmintex®

Laboratory diagnosis of intestinal schistosomiasis mansoni can be accomplished through various methods of stool examination to detect parasites, ranging from the most classic tests (Kato-Katz) to several methods that are still undergoing validation. This study was conducted to assess two new parasite identification methods for diagnosing schistosomiasis mansoni in residents of a low endemic area in the municipality of Maranguape, in the state of Ceará, Brazil using the Kato-Katz method as a reference and serology (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) for the screening of patients. The Kato-Katz, the saline gradient method and the Helmintex® method parasite identification methods were employed only in subjects who exhibited positive serologic tests. The test results were then analysed and treatment of positive individuals was subsequently performed. After comparing the test results, we observed that the saline gradient method and the Helmintex® method were more effective in diagnosing schistosomiasis mansoni in the study area compared with the Kato-Katz method.