Automated parasitological diagnosis in clinical microbiology laboratories.

Although there is a low prevalence of parasitological infections in Europe, the diagnosis of intestinal parasites is still difficult and laborious for microbiology laboratories. Currently, antigen detection assays and molecular biology allow a more accurate diagnosis, but these techniques have limitations as they cannot detect all the possible parasites present in the samples. The objective of the study was to evaluate the accuracy and the usefulness of automated microscopy SediMAX2 (77 Elektronika, Budapest, Hungary) in the detection of parasitic infections from feces.

Diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminth infections. An unsolved problemin the omics era.

Infections caused by Strongyloides stercoralis and other soil-transmitted worms such as hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale) represent a major problem worldwide, especially in developing areas. They are difficult to suspect clinically since they produce non-specific and often overlapping signs and symptoms. Likewise, their long prepatent periods hamper the detection of parasitic structures.

Epidemiology of dermatophytic infections between 2008 and 2017 in Barcelona, Spain.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological profile of dermatophytoses from 2008 to 2017 in the area of "Barcelonès Nord", located in north-eastern Spain.

Methods: From 2008 to 2017, 13,419 specimens obtained from patients with suspected superficial mycosis were subjected to direct microscopy and culture. Clinical and sociodemographic data were recorded.