The reliability of the current diagnostic methods for the identification of helminth eggs

Abstract

1. On the assumption that the limit of significant difference is 1%, it is necessary, when concentration methods are not used, to repeat the faecal examination 3 times for the egg of Ascaris lumbricoides, 7 times for hook worm and 11 times for Trichuris trichiura in order to obtain the diagnostic results obtained by the acid-ether concentration technique using 3 g. of faeces.2. The coefficient of the identification by a single smear examination is 83·3% for eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides, 46·5% for hook-worm eggs and 33·6% for eggs of Trichuris trichiura.