Comparison of McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC techniques for the diagnosis of internal parasites in pigs

Abstract

This purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of the McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC quantitative techniques in the investigation of helminths in feces of pigs. An analysis was made of 74 fecal samples from pigs raised on family farms located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. These were analyzed by the Mini-FLOTAC and McMaster techniques in a solution of 1,200g/mL NaCl. This investigation revealed a superiority in the frequency of all helminths detected by Mini-FLOTAC, including Ascaris suum, Trichuris suis, strongyles and Strongyloides ransomi. The Kappa index revealed substantial agreement in all comparisons made in relation to the frequency of positive samples. However, significant statistical differences in the comparison of EPGs between McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC were observed for all nematodes (p ≤0.05). Higher values of Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient (r), between the techniques in relation to EPG were observed for A. suum and T. suis, differently from what was observed for strongyles and S. ransomi. Mini-FLOTAC proved to be a more satisfactory and reliable technique both for the diagnosis of parasites and for the determination of EPG in pig feces due to the larger size of its counting chambers, thus increasing the helminth egg recovery rates.