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FLOTAC: new multivalent techniques for qualitative and quantitative copromicroscopic diagnosis of parasites in animals and humans

Nature Protocols 5, 503–515 (2010) | Download Citation

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Abstract

Accurate diagnosis of parasitic infections is of pivotal importance for both individual patient management and population-based studies, such as drug efficacy trials and surveillance of parasitic disease control and elimination programs, in both human and veterinary public health. In this study, we present protocols for the FLOTAC basic, dual and double techniques, which are promising new multivalent, sensitive, accurate and precise methods for qualitative and quantitative copromicroscopic analysis. These various methods make use of the FLOTAC apparatus, a cylindrical device with two 5-ml flotation chambers, which allows up to 1 g of stool to be prepared for microscopic analysis. Compared with currently more widely used diagnostic methods for parasite detection in animals (e.g., McMaster and Wisconsin techniques) and humans (e.g., Kato-Katz and ether-based concentration techniques), the FLOTAC techniques show higher sensitivity and accuracy. All FLOTAC techniques can be performed on fresh fecal material as well as preserved stool samples, and require approximately 12–15 min of preparation time before microscopic analysis.

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Acknowledgements

G.C. acknowledges Giuseppe and Massimo Federico for their technical expertise and their enthusiasm in participating in the development of the FLOTAC apparatus. G.C. also acknowledges Maria Elena Morgoglione, Sabrina Carbone, Mirella Santaniello, Saverio Pennacchio, Antonio Santaniello and Vincenzo Musella for their participation in the application and validation of the FLOTAC techniques. J.U. acknowledges financial support from the Swiss National Science Foundation (project no. PPOOB-102883; PPOOB-119129).

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR Regione Campania, Naples, Italy.

    • Giuseppe Cringoli
    • , Laura Rinaldi
    •  & Maria Paola Maurelli

  2. Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland.

    • Jürg Utzinger

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Contributions

G.C. invented the FLOTAC apparatus and the FLOTAC techniques; L.R., M.P.M. and J.U. participated in the application and validation of the techniques. All authors read, revised and approved the final submitted paper.  

Competing interests

The FLOTAC apparatus was developed and patented by G.C. It is planned that the patent will be handed over to the University of Naples 'Federico II' in the near future. FLOTAC techniques are being further validated by several research groups focusing on human and veterinary parasitology. Should these validations continue to be successful, FLOTAC will be provided free of charge to public research centers, including the World Health Organization and universities. The fact that one of the authors is the current patent holder of the FLOTAC apparatus had no role in the preparation and submission of the protocols reported or in the design and implementation of ongoing and future studies. All other authors declare no competing financial interests.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giuseppe Cringoli.

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.1038/nprot.2009.235

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