Evaluation of the Efficacy of the Mini Parasep SF Faecal Parasite Concentrator; A New Technique against the Direct Smear and Formol Ether Concentration Technique for the Detection of Intestinal Parasites in Stool.

Abstract

The efficacy of Mini Parasep, a new faecal Parasite Concentrator developed by the company DiaSys Europe Limited (formerly Intersep Ltd) was evaluated alongside the modified Formol ether concentration and direct smear techniques using 120 stool samples in Calabar, Nigeria between May and June, 2011. The manufacturer's instruction was strictly followed in the evaluation of the new test while standard procedures were used for the direct smear and the FECT. Of the three methods, FECT was most efficient in the detection of intestinal parasite (57.5%) and was closely followed by the Min Parasep method (50.0%). There was no statistically significant difference at the rate which the two methods detected intestinal parasitic infections (P>0.05). On the contrary, the Mini Parasep and the FECT methods detected more intestinal infections than the direct smear (28.3%). The difference in both cases were statistically significant (P<0.05). Both the Min Parasep and the FECT detected 30.2% and 40.7% respectively of infections that were negative with the direct smear. The difference in the detection rate of infection by the two methods was not statistically significant (P>0.05). All the samples that were positive by direct smear for intestinal parasites were also positive by the Mini Parasep and FECT. The FECT was more efficient in detecting helminth infections while the Mini Parasep performed better in detecting protozoan infection. The Mini Parasep was simple, user-friendly and involves working in an enclosed system with little or no danger of acquiring infection while the FECT is more labour-intensive with potent danger of acquiring infection and outbreak of fire because of the use of ether in an “open” system. The result of this study has confirmed that the Mini Parasep is efficient for the detection of intestinal parasites. We recommend the adoption of the Mini Parasep method because of its simple and safe technology and efficacy, since most of our laboratories are not currently using the FECT for the diagnosis of intestinal parasites.

Keywords: Evaluation, Mini Parasep, Formol ether, Direct Smear, Techniques.