Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39449044›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2024

Comparison of different diagnostic protocols for the detection of Toxocara spp. in faecal samples of cats and dogs.

Deliah Tamsyn Winterfeld, Birgit Schauer, Majda Globokar, Nikola Pantchev, Susan Mouchantat, Franz Josef Conraths, Helge Kampen, Johanna Dups-Bergmann, Gereon Schares, Pavlo Maksimov

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Parasites & vectors, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Zoonotic Relevance ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Article
  2. Pre-Intervention Assessment ofAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
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

10 authors.

Deliah Tamsyn WinterfeldInstitute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany. Deliah.Winterfeld@fli.de.
Birgit SchauerInstitute for Community Medicine, Section SHIP-KEF, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Majda GlobokarIDEXX Laboratories, Kornwestheim, Germany.
Nikola PantchevIDEXX Laboratories, Kornwestheim, Germany.
Susan MouchantatInstitute for Community Medicine, Section SHIP-KEF, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Franz Josef ConrathsInstitute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
Helge KampenInstitute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
Johanna Dups-BergmannInstitute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
Gereon ScharesInstitute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
Pavlo MaksimovInstitute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany. Pavlo.Maksimov@fli.de.

Funding

Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung 28N-2-032-01
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundToxocara canis and Toxocara cati are parasitic nematodes that occur worldwide. As embryonated Toxocara spp. eggs in the environment pose a zoonotic risk, especially for children, optimal diagnostic approaches are necessary for effective disease response and management, including surveillance. However, little is known about the performance of different diagnostic protocols for detecting Toxocara spp. in the faeces of cats and dogs, hampering movement towards an optimal diagnostic process. This study aimed to compare detection methods, including a newly developed sequential sieving protocol (SF-SSV) and a high-throughput multiplex qPCR-based method to facilitate epidemiological studies.

methodsSpecies-specific Toxocara spp. egg suspensions and canine and feline faecal samples from the field were used to estimate analytical and diagnostic sensitivity of the protocols. The performance of two automated DNA extraction protocols using enzymatic and mechanical lysis were compared by multiplex qPCR, targeting both T. canis and T. cati-specific genomic sequences. All samples were examined by microscopy-based techniques, the sedimentation flotation technique (SF) and a newly developed SF-SSV for the detection, enrichment and purification of parasite eggs. The costs and processing times necessary for all protocols were estimated and compared for both single samples and sets of 100 samples.

resultsTo detect Toxocara spp. eggs, SF-SSV showed the highest analytical sensitivity and a significantly higher diagnostic sensitivity than the DNA detection methods. Mechanical lysis performed better than enzymatic lysis for automated DNA extraction. In automated DNA extraction, 96-well plates performed better than 24-well plates. DNA detection and microscopy-based parasitological methods showed substantial agreement between the results generated by each method. Microscopy-based techniques required the lowest costs and least hands-on time for a single sample. However, when costs and labour were estimated for a set of 100 samples, the DNA detection protocol using 96-well plates for extraction revealed costs similar to SF-SSV and the fastest processing times.

conclusionsSF-SSV was superior in terms of analytical and diagnostic sensitivity for the detection of Toxocara spp. eggs. For larger sets of samples, multiplex qPCR-based DNA detection represents an alternative to microscopy-based methods, based on the possibility of faster sample processing at similar costs to SF-SSV, and the ability to provide species-specific diagnoses.

Indexed as

Cat DiseasesDog DiseasesFecesSensitivity and SpecificityToxocaraToxocariasisAnimalsCatsDNA, HelminthDogsMultiplex Polymerase Chain ReactionParasite Egg CountToxocara canisDNA, HelminthDNA extractionqPCRSedimentation-flotation techniqueSensitivitySequential sievingToxocara canisToxocara cati

Identifiers

PMID39449044
PMCPMC11515329

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Registered trials

None linked

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.