Background: The Kato-Katz method is a commonly used diagnostic tool for helminth infections, particularly in field studies. This method can yield inaccurate results when samples contain eggs that are similar in appearance, such as Minute Intestinal Fluke (MIF) and Opisthorchis viverrini (OV) eggs. The close resemblance of eggs can be problematic and raises the possibility of false diagnoses. The objectives were to compare the diagnostic performance of the Kato-Katz method for accurately identifying MIF and OV and to provide evidence of possible misclassification. Methods: Based on questionnaire responses from 15 (young parasitologists and public health staff), the test comprised 50 MIF egg images and 50 OV egg images, for a total of 100 Google Form questionnaires.
Results: The morphology of MIF and OV eggs found size and shape similarity and found that the shoulder rims were small, while the OV egg found the knobs had disappeared. The opercular conjunction was apparent, the shoulder rims and miricidium were prominent. The average percentage of correctly classified infections was 61.6 ± 12.1%. The accuracy percentages for both public health staff and young parasitologists in identifying were found to be 59.0 ± 14.8 and 66.8 ± 2.8, respectively. There was no significant difference observed in both groups.
Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for improving the accuracy of parasite identification. Preserving stool samples before the Kato-Katz method can help mitigate the potential degradation or distortion of parasite eggs. The incorrect classification of both eggs had an impact on treatment plans and the policy of parasite control programs.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.31557/APJCP.2024.25.5.1473 | DOI Listing |
Int Health
January 2025
Neglected Tropical Diseases Study Group, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines.
Background: Diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis for surveillance relies on microscopic detection of ova in Kato-Katz (KK) prepared slides. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based platforms for parasitic eggs may be developed using a robust image set with defined labels by reference microscopists. This study aimed to determine interobserver variability among reference microscopists in identifying parasite ova.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Public Health
January 2025
School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mizan-Tepi University, Mizan-Aman, Ethiopia.
Background: Intestinal parasitic infections continue to pose a major threat to human health globally, with a particularly high prevalence in developing countries. Soil-borne helminthiasis and schistosomiasis are notably widespread.
Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and contributing factors of intestinal parasites infection among participants aged 7-14 years.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis
January 2025
Department of Zoology, Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden, Nigeria.
Background: Routine epidemiological data are essential for monitoring the effectiveness of preventive chemotherapy (PC), optimizing resource allocation, and addressing the evolving needs in the elimination of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH). This study assesses the prevalence, intensity, and associated risk factors of STH following five rounds of albendazole-based PC in three implementation units (IUs) in Ondo State, Nigeria.
Methodology: Fresh stool samples were collected from 2,093 children aged 5-14 years across 45 systematically selected schools in three IUs: Ese-Odo, Irele, and Ile-Oluji.
Infect Dis Poverty
January 2025
Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
Background: Clonorchiasis is an important foodborne parasitic disease in China caused by Clonorchis sinensis. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of this disease is vital for treatment and control. Traditional fecal examination methods, such as the Kato-Katz (KK) method, are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and have limited acceptance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActa Parasitol
January 2025
World Health Organization Regional Office for Southeast Asia, New Delhi, India.
Purpose: A comprehensive survey was conducted to assess the prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum infection in humans, water buffaloes, and snails in the two endemic municipalities of Talibon and Trinidad in Bohol, Philippines, which are nearing elimination.
Methods And Results: Human stool and blood samples were collected from barangays with snail breeding sites, and results showed higher positivity rates using the rSjTPx-1-ELISA compared to the Kato-Katz technique. Human stool examination for showed a 0.
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