Detection of microfilariae with counting chamber technique in some Nigerian rural communities

Abstract

The conventional stained thick smear technique (TS) has innate possibility of underestimation of microfilariae (mf) in microfilaraemic subjects. The usability of counting chamber (CC) technique in the detection of mf was determined in three Nigerian rural communities where Loa loa and Mansonella perstans are endemic. Blood samples were collected by finger-pricking method from 612 subjects (334 males, 278 females), between February 1996 and July 1998. Each blood sample was examined for mf using TS or/and CC technique(s). CC technique had statistically higher sensitivity (79.3%) than TS technique (39.1%). For both techniques, the microfilarial range was 1 to 20 mf/50 μl of blood. There was no statistically significant differences between the microfilarial geometric mean intensities with both techniques.

African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (4), pp. 367-370, 2005