Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33883833›Full record

ArticleEthiopian journal of health sciences2020

Comparison of Microscopy and PCR for Detection of

James Emisiko, Nathan Shaviya, Clement Shiluli, Nathan Kiboi, Ronald Wamalwa, Bernard Jumba, Jeremiah Zablon, Fidelis Mambo, Mustafa Barasa

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Ethiopian journal of health sciences, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Prevalence and molecular characterisation ofInternational journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Prevalence ofJournal of veterinary research · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Burden and Epidemiology of Human IntestinalTropical medicine and infectious disease · 2022
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

James EmisikoMedical Laboratory Sciences, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya.
Nathan ShaviyaMedical Laboratory Sciences, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya.
Clement ShiluliMicrobiology, Uzima University, Kisumu, Kenya.
Nathan KiboiBiochemistry, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya.
Ronald WamalwaMedical Laboratory Sciences, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya.
Bernard JumbaMedical Laboratory Sciences, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya.
Jeremiah ZablonImmunology, Kenyatta Nairobi Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
Fidelis MamboMedical Laboratory Sciences, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya.
Mustafa BarasaMedical Laboratory Sciences, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAccurate diagnosis of Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica is important since these intestinal parasites account for a significant proportion of morbidity and mortality globally. Microscopy is the key diagnostic test used for diagnosis of the two parasites. Other tests including rapid diagnostic tests and polymerase chain reaction have been developed to improve the detection of these parasites. Most of these newer tests are not affordable in resource limited settings, hence the over reliance on microscopy. The objective of this study was to determine the reliability of microscopy in a resource limited setting in Western Kenya, a region endemic for the two intestinal parasites.

methodsPolymerase chain reaction, the gold standard test, was performed on stool samples suspected for G. lamblia and E. histolytica. Microscopy was then performed on the same samples and the two tests compared.

resultsMicroscopy was found to be 64.4% sensitive, 86.6% specific for the detection of G. lamblia. Additionally, this test was 64.2% sensitive and 83.6% specific for the diagnosis of E. histolytica. Cohen's kappa values of 0.51 and 0.47 were determined for microscopy for G. lamblia and E. histolytica respectively. McNemar's test revealed a significant difference between the two tests, P<0.001.

conclusionThis study found microscopy to be a reliable diagnostic test in this resource limited setting.

Indexed as

Entamoeba histolyticaGiardia lambliaFecesHumansKenyaMicroscopyPolymerase Chain ReactionReproducibility of ResultsSensitivity and SpecificityE. histolyticaG.lambliaMicroscopyPCRSensitivitySpecificity

Identifiers

PMID33883833
PMCPMC8047253

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.