Parasitology methods: intestinal helminth detection and identification— are both done in microscopy?

[The Filipino Vet Student]

I finally made an initial title for my thesis proposal "Detection and Identification for Intestinal Helminths of Eurasian Tree Sparrows Passer montanus Linnaeus, 1758". The methods I chose for my investigation are simple fecal flotation and microscopic examination. But when I presented this in class, my instructor asked me " what methods do you use for DETECTION and IDENTIFICATION?". I was confuse since it was still not clear to me of where these processes takes place in my methodology. Yet I still gave her an answer and a vague one to be exact.

Now, I have read several papers about detecting and identifying worm parasites. But I have never found any helpful references involving microscopy and flotation. So my question is, in relation to diagnosing for intestinal helminths, does microscopic examination alone include detection and identification? Or do both process occur seperately i.e., flotation (detection) and microscopy (identification)?

Also, I know I should have considered to understand those terms first. But I got excited. Thank you experts!

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[Drjc1977]

I finally made an initial title for my thesis proposal "Detection and Identification for Intestinal Helminths of Eurasian Tree Sparrows Passer montanus Linnaeus, 1758". The methods I chose for my investigation are simple fecal flotation and microscopic examination. But when I presented this in class, my instructor asked me " what methods do you use for DETECTION and IDENTIFICATION?". I was confuse since it was still not clear to me of where these processes takes place in my methodology. Yet I still gave her an answer and a vague one to be exact.

Now, I have read several papers about detecting and identifying worm parasites. But I have never found any helpful references involving microscopy and flotation. So my question is, in relation to diagnosing for intestinal helminths, does microscopic examination alone include detection and identification? Or do both process occur seperately i.e., flotation (detection) and microscopy (identification)?

Also, I know I should have considered to understand those terms first. But I got excited. Thank you experts!

If I understand your question, DETECTION is the process of determining if there is evidence of microscopic eggs, IDENTIFICATION with the flotation methodology, is the process using visual means of a qualified individual to determine what kind of egg is present. Have you considered DNA methodology, ie PCR, for example regarding presence of intestinal parasites. If you have a negative flotation but a positive antigen in the sample, how would you handle that. Not an expert, I just want to know.

 

[The Filipino Vet Student]

If I understand your question, DETECTION is the process of determining if there is evidence of microscopic eggs, IDENTIFICATION with the flotation methodology, is the process using visual means of a qualified individual to determine what kind of egg is present. Have you considered DNA methodology, ie PCR, for example regarding presence of intestinal parasites. If you have a negative flotation but a positive antigen in the sample, how would you handle that. Not an expert, I just want to know.

'If you have a negative flotation but a positive antigen in the sample'- I think, this will involve expensive and time consuming methods (e.g., Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), Luminex xMAP and etc.) which I have considered and ruled out for my study. Because I have very limited funds to conduct my investigation. Hence, I have resorted only to simple and economic detection (or dianostic) tests. In my case, that would be fecal flotation techniques.

Also, if you do not mind me asking. Do you happen to know any paper that studies sensitivity and specificity of flotation solutions on wild birds (particularly Eurasian Tree Sparrows)?

 

[Drjc1977]

'If you have a negative flotation but a positive antigen in the sample'- I think, this will involve expensive and time consuming methods (e.g., Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), Luminex xMAP and etc.) which I have considered and ruled out for my study. Because I have very limited funds to conduct my investigation. Hence, I have resorted only to simple and economic detection (or dianostic) tests. In my case, that would be fecal flotation techniques.

Also, if you do not mind me asking. Do you happen to know any paper that studies sensitivity and specificity of flotation solutions on wild birds (particularly Eurasian Tree Sparrows)?

Unfortunately I do not