We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Diagnostic Sensitivity of Kato-Katz Technique Estimated

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 17 Oct 2017
Print article
Image: Hookworm eggs examined microscopically on wet mount using the Kato-Katz technique (eggs of Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus cannot be distinguished morphologically. The embryo in (B) has begun cellular division and is at an early (gastrula) developmental stage (Photo courtesy of Vishnu Vardhan Serla / Maheep Sangha).
Image: Hookworm eggs examined microscopically on wet mount using the Kato-Katz technique (eggs of Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus cannot be distinguished morphologically. The embryo in (B) has begun cellular division and is at an early (gastrula) developmental stage (Photo courtesy of Vishnu Vardhan Serla / Maheep Sangha).
Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and schistosomiasis are two of the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases with more than one billion and over 250 million people affected worldwide, respectively.

The Kato-Katz technique is the most widely used diagnostic method in epidemiologic surveys and drug efficacy trials pertaining to intestinal schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. However, the sensitivity of the technique is low, particularly for the detection of light-intensity helminth infections.

Scientists at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Basel, Switzerland) and their African colleagues tested their model performing a secondary analysis based on the Kato-Katz assay, hookworm prevalence varied from 11.4% to 59.0%, and mean or infected population based infection intensity from 280 eggs per gram of stool (EPG) to 396 EPG. For Schistosoma mansoni, prevalence varied from 35.6% to 76.3%, and infection intensity from 152 EPG to 307 EPG. Between two and four stool samples were collected and analyzed on consecutive days of a total of 1,423 participants.

The a model which estimates the sensitivity of the Kato-Katz technique in Schistosoma mansoni and hookworm, as a function of infection intensity for repeated stool sampling and provide estimates of the age-dependent ‘true’ prevalence. The team found that the sensitivity for S. mansoni diagnosis is dominated by missed light infections, which have a low probability to be diagnosed correctly even through repeated sampling. The overall sensitivity strongly depends on the mean infection intensity. In particular at an intensity of 100 eggs per gram of stool (EPG), they estimated a sensitivity of 50% and 80% for one and two samples, respectively.

The team reported that at an infection intensity of 300 EPG, they estimated a sensitivity of 62% for one sample and 90% for two samples. The sensitivity for hookworm diagnosis is dominated by day-to-day variation with typical values for one, two, three, and four samples equal to 50%, 75%, 85%, and 95%, respectively, while it is only weakly dependent on the mean infection intensity in the population. The sensitivity was strongly associated with S. mansoni infection intensity. In particular, for very light infections ( less than five EPG), it was below 50% even after three samples.

The authors recommend collecting at least two stool samples over subsequent days combined with the given sensitivity values to estimate ‘true’ prevalence. For S. mansoni infection the sensitivity is largely driven by light infections that are hard to detect by a single Kato-Katz thick smear. They also recommend collecting two samples due to almost perfect sensitivity for moderate and heavy infections and low benefit of additional samples for light infections. They predict that improving the sensitivity for S. mansoni can be achieved more cost effectively by increasing the number of Kato-Katz thick smears from the same stool sample instead of increasing the number of samples taken. The study was published on October 4, 2017, in the journal Public Library of Science Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Related Links:
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute

Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
Specimen Collection & Transport
Complement 3 (C3) Test
GPP-100 C3 Kit
Gold Member
Xylazine Immunoassay Test
Xylazine ELISA

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: Reaching speeds up to 6,000 RPM, this centrifuge forms the basis for a new type of inexpensive, POC biomedical test (Photo courtesy of Duke University)

POC Biomedical Test Spins Water Droplet Using Sound Waves for Cancer Detection

Exosomes, tiny cellular bioparticles carrying a specific set of proteins, lipids, and genetic materials, play a crucial role in cell communication and hold promise for non-invasive diagnostics.... Read more

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: The study showed the blood-based cancer screening test detects 83% of people with colorectal cancer with specificity of 90% (Photo courtesy of Guardant Health)

Blood Test Shows 83% Accuracy for Detecting Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second biggest cause of cancer deaths among adults in the U.S., with forecasts suggesting 53,010 people might die from it in 2024. While fewer older adults are dying from this... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The Gazelle Hb Variant Test (Photo courtesy of Hemex Health)

First Affordable and Rapid Test for Beta Thalassemia Demonstrates 99% Diagnostic Accuracy

Hemoglobin disorders rank as some of the most prevalent monogenic diseases globally. Among various hemoglobin disorders, beta thalassemia, a hereditary blood disorder, affects about 1.5% of the world's... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: These new assays are being developed for use on the recently introduced DxI 9000 Immunoassay Analyzer (Photo courtesy of Beckman Coulter)

Beckman Coulter and Fujirebio Expand Partnership on Neurodegenerative Disease Diagnostics

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics (Brea, CA, USA) and Fujirebio Diagnostics (Tokyo, Japan) have expanded their partnership focused on the development, manufacturing and clinical adoption of neurodegenerative... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.