RELIABILITY OF COPROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF ANOPLOCEPHALA-PERFOLIATA INFECTION

Three coprological methods were tested to establish the reliability of in vivo diagnosis of Anoplocephala perfoliata. A total of 107 faecal samples were analyzed, and the presence of tapeworms were confirmed po stmortem in 24 animals with burdens that ranged from 1 to 248 worms; m ost of them (71%) with less than 100 parasites. Best results were obta ined with a combination of two sedimentation/flotation methods, detect ing only half the parasitized animals (54% sensitivity), No relationsh ip could be established between tapeworm burden and egg detection, but results indicate that coprological methods have a lower likelihood of diagnosing cestode infection when horses have less than 100 tapeworms . (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.