Abstract

LAU CHONG, Carolina; SAMALVIDES CUBA, Frine  and  TERASHIMA IWASHITA, Angélica. Efficacy of five methods for detection of Strongyloides stercoralis in human stool specimens. Rev Med Hered [online]. 2005, vol.16, n.1, pp.11-18. ISSN 1018-130X.

Objectives: We compared the efficacy of five methods for the detection of Strongyloides stercoralis in human stool specimens. Methods and materials: We evaluated fecal samples from 109 individuals from Nagazu, Pasco (Perú). Each sample was directly tested using five parasitological techniques: simple direct smear, spontaneous sedimentation in tube, Baermann technique modified by Lumbreras, Dancescu culture and agar plate culture technique. Results: From the 109 stool samples, 42 (38.5%) had S. stercoralis for at least one of the methods studied. Comparing techniques, the agar plate culture technique detected the higher percentage of cases: 40, followed by 39 cases by the Dancescu culture, then 25 cases by the Baermann technique, 16 cases by spontaneous sedimentation in tube and 2 cases by simple direct smear. No significant difference was found between the agar plate culture technique and the Dancescu culture, but it was found between those and the other techniques studied. Conclusions: We consider that the Dancescu culture and the agar plate culture provide good sensitivity for the diagnosis of Strongyloidiasis at a low cost and should be implemented at parasitology laboratories whenever the diagnosis is sought. This methods could be utilized in special groups of patients such as malnourished children, immunocompromised individuals and patients who need to be treated with immunosuppressive drugs to prevent the risk of hyperinfection

Keywords : Strongyloides stercoralis; Baermann technique modified by Lumbreras; Dancescu culture; agar plate culture technique.

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