NYLON MESH FILTRATION TECHNIQUE FOR QUANTITATIVE DETECTION OF HELMINTH EGGS

Description was given on the material and procedure of the nylon mesh filtration technique for quantitative detection of helminth eggs in the feces, and comparison was made between the filtration and the Kato-Katz techniques on the clearness and preservation of detected eggs and the efficiency of detection. In the filtration technique, fecal matter is filtered through nylon mesh to concentrate the eggs and the eggs are sealed in the mounting medium by melting the mesh fibers. This technique can detect all the helminth eggs including hook worm and small Clonorchis eggs that are difficult to be recognized by the Kato-Katz technique. The rate of coincidence of the positive and negative slides of Schistosoma eggs between the two techniques was 88.7%, being statistically high. The filtration technique can detect 2.4 times number of eggs that are collected by the Kato-Katz technique, and the sealed eggs are clear enough to identify and can be preserved for months. This filtration technique, simple and suitable for field use, can contribute to find the helminth infections and to evaluate the control work even in developing countries.