A modified assay for the enumeration of ascaris eggs in fresh raw sewage.

Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) pose a significant public health problem, infecting approximately 2 billion people globally. Despite relatively low prevalence in developed countries, the removal of STHs from wastewater remains crucial to allow the safe use of biosolids or recycled water for agriculture. Wastewater helminth egg count data can contribute to an assessment of the need for, or success of, a parasite management program.

Comparison of methodologies for enumerating and detecting the viability of Ascaris eggs in sewage sludge by standard incubation-microscopy, the BacLight Live/Dead viability assay and other vital dyes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the Live/Dead BacLight viability kit as a method for enumerating viable eggs of Ascaris suum in sewage sludge as a surrogate for the human roundworm. The number and viability status of eggs of A. suum were accurately measured directly in sewage sludge samples by the BacLight method, compared to the conventional incubation-microscopy procedure.