RESUMO

Because canine intestinal parasites are considered cosmopolitan, they carry significant zoonotic potential to public health. These etiological agents are routinely diagnosed using microscopic examination commonly used because of its low cost, simple execution, and direct evidence. However, there are reports in the literature on the poor performance of this test due to low to moderate sensitivity resulting from frequent errors, procedures and interpretation. Therefore, to improve the diagnostic efficiency of microscopic examination in veterinary medicine, we developed and evaluated a unique new protocol. This system was tested in a study involving four genera of highly prevalent canine intestinal parasites in an endemic region in São Paulo state, Brazil. Fecal samples from 104 animals were collected for this research. The new protocol had a significantly higher (p < 0.0001) number of positive cases on image data, including parasites and impurities, and was elaborate to test them with the TF-GII/Dog technique, with a moderate agreement and Kappa index of 0.7636. We concluded that the new Prototic Coproparasitological Test for Dogs (PC-Test Dog) allowed a better visualization of the parasitic structures and showed a favorable result for the diagnosis of intestinal parasites in dogs.

RESUMO

In this study, we aimed to introduce a new technique calledTF-Test ModifiedDog for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal parasites in dogs. Fecal samples from 106 dogs were processed by the technique TF-Test ModifiedDog and the techniques of centrifugation-flotation in zinc sulfate, simple-flotation by saturated solution of sodium chloride, direct microscopy exam and TF-Test Conventional. Sensitivity was higher in the TF-Test ModifiedDog (98.41%), followed by flotation in saturated zinc sulfate (77.78%), TF-Test Conventional (73.02%), flotation by saturated sodium chloride (55.55%), and direct microscopy exam (30.16%). The diagnostic efficiency varied from 58.49% to 99.06%, with the highest value also obtained by the new proposed technique. Efficiency level of 99.06% with kappa index 0.979 (almost perfect) was obtained with the TF-Test ModifiedDog. These results represent significant statistical gains (P 0.05) of 20.63% in sensitivity and 12.27% in efficiency over the best among the other techniques flotation by saturated zinc sulfate, whose kappa index was 0.738, much lower than that of the TF-Test ModifiedDog. All techniques presented 100% specificity. In this sense, the high sensitivity of theTF-Test ModifiedDog makes it suitable for epidemiological surveys of gastrointestinal parasitosis in dogs, zoonoses control and preventive surveillance programs.

O objetivo deste estudo foi introduzir a nova técnicaTF-Test ModifiedDog para diagnóstico de parasitos gastrointestinais em cães. Amostras fecais de 106 cães foram processadas pela técnica de TF-Test ModifiedDog e também por técnicas de centrifugação-flutuação em sulfato de zinco, flutuação simples em solução saturada de cloreto de sódio, exame microscópico direto e TF-Test Convencional. A sensibilidade foi maior no TF-Test ModifiedDog (98,41%), seguido por centrífugo-flutuação em solução de sulfato de zinco (77,78%), TF-Test Convencional(73,02%), flutuação em solução saturada de cloreto de sódio (55,55%), e exame microscópico direto (30,16%). A eficiência diagnóstica variou de 58,49% a 99,06%, com maior valor obtido pela nova técnica. Foi obtido com o TF-Test ModifiedDog eficiência de 99,06%, com índice kappa de 0,979 (Quase perfeito). Estes resultados representam ganhos estatisticamente significativos (P 0,05) de 20,63% de sensibilidade e 12,27% de eficiência sobre a melhor entre as outras técnicas empregadas, centrífugo-flutuação em solução de sulfato de zinco, cujo índice kappa foi 0,738, bem menor do que o TF-Test ModifiedDog. Todas as técnicas apresentaram especificidade de 100%. Nesse sentido, a sua alta sensibilidade o torna adequado para levantamentos epidemiológicos das parasitoses gastrointestinais em cães, bem como para programas de controle de zoonoses e de vigilância preventiva.