Table 1.
Comparison of intestinal parasite detection by stool qPCR and microscopy in 99 subjects
| Parasite | No. positive by multi-parallel qPCR (%) | No. positive by concentration microscopy (%) | No. positive by McMaster microscopy (%) | DNA concentrations (fg/μL) in stool positive by microscopy, median (range) | DNA concentrations (fg/μL) in stool negative by microscopy, median (range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascaris lumbricoides | 56/99 (56.5) | 53/99 (53.5) | 47/99 (47.5) | 1.02 (0.001 – 42.3) | 0.48 (0.003–10.431) |
| Cryptosporidium parvum/hominis | 0/99 (0) | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Ancylostoma duodenale | 19/99 (19.1) | NA | NA | 55.1 (5.87–278.2)a | 106.9 (26.2–384.2) |
| Necator americanus | 36/99 (36.4) | NA | NA | 12.5 (0.024–278.2)a | 1.59 (0.001–239.5) |
| Hookworm* | 37/99 (37.4) | 21/99 (21.2)a | 21/99 (21.2)a | NA | NA |
| Strongyloides stercoralis* | 21/99 (21.2) | 3/99 (3.0) | NA | 65.9 (14.7–123.6) | 0.22 (0.0009–48.6) |
| Giardia lamblia* | 63/99 (63.6) | 8/99 (8.1) | NA | 5.27 (0.02–1847.4) | 0.27 (0.007–5697.8) |
| Entamoeba histolytica | 1/99 (1.0) | 0/99 (0) | NA | 0.003 | 0 |
| Trichuris trichiura | 1/99 (1.0) | 4/99 (4.0) | 6/99 (6.1) | 0.001 | 0 |
NA Not applicable
*Indicates statistically significant difference (P < 0.05)
aMicroscopy is unable to distinguish between the two hookworm species, A. duodenale and N. americanus