The Performance evaluation of three laboratory diagnostic methods for intestinal parasitic infections at rural Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Even if, the prevalence of intestinal parasites is high in Ethiopia, we still use only direct Wet mount method for laboratory diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infections, having low sensitivity and this significantly increase false negative results. Therefore, performance evaluation of three laboratory diagnostic methods is mandatory. Methods: Single stool sample was collected from March to June 2018, among 211 school children and processed using Wet mount, Modified Baermann and Ritchie’s methods. The sensitivity and negative predictive values (NPVs) at 95% CI and Kappa values were calculated in terms of the Gold standard method (the combined result of altogether). Results: The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 60.2%. The sensitivity and NPVs of Wet mount, Modified Baermann, and Ritchie’s methods against the “Gold standard” test were: 49.6% and 56.8%, 80.3% and 77.1%, and 67.7% and 68.8%, respectively. Conclusions: Modified Baermann showed best and Wet mount showed least performances for laboratory diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infections.

Keywords

• Wet mount, Modified Baermann, Ritchie’s Method, Rural Bahir Dar, Ethiopia