Accuracy of the Kato-Katz, adhesive tape and FLOTAC techniques for helminth diagnosis among children in Kyrgyzstan

The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of three copro-microscopic techniques for helminth diagnosis Kato-Katz adhesive tape and FLOTAC A total of 163 children from a pen-urban municipality near Bishkek Kyrgyzstan participated and submitted multiple stool samples and adhesive tapes Ninety children supplied at least two stool samples and two adhesive tapes Three stool samples and three adhesive tapes were available from 71 and 64 children respectively From each stool sample a single Kato-Katz thick smear was prepared and examined quantitatively Additionally the first stool sample was subjected to the FLOTAC technique and helminth eggs were counted Adhesive tapes were checked for the presence of Enterobius vermicularis eggs Using pooled results as a diagnostic gold standard the prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides E vermicularis Hymenolepis nana and Dicrocoelium dendriticum were 54 4% 13 3% 11 1% and 11 1% respectively Infection intensities were low When compared to triplicate Kato-Katz a single FLOTAC was more sensitive for the diagnosis of A lumbricoides (895% versus 39 5%) and D dendriticum (88 9% versus 33 3%) but less sensitive for H nana (66 7% versus 88 9%) For E vermicularis three adhesive tapes showed much higher sensitivity than a single FLOTAC (92 9% versus 14 3%) FLOTAC yielded significantly higher faecal egg counts than Kato-Katz for A lumbricoides and D dendriticum Overall results suggest I hat although FLOTAC represents a promising technique for helminth diagnosis in Kyrgyzstan the repeated adhesive tape test remains so far the method of choice for diagnosing E vermicularis (C) 2010 Elsevier B V All rights reserved