Grigoryan O.M., Moskvina T.Y., Sklyar L.F., Galkina I.V., Beniova S.N., Shchelkanov M.Yu.
Medical parasitology and parasitic diseases 2018; (3): 50-57
Parasitoses - helminthiases in general and helminthiases-zoonoses (Echinococcus and other) in particular, are a major threat not only to the health but sometime to the life of affected population both in the developing and industrial countries. The rapid and reliable diagnosis of helminth infections is central to their prevention and control. Effective diagnosis depends on the sensitivity, specificity and reliability of the tests deployed. The most commonly used diagnosis of helminth infection has been the microscopic detection of eggs in fecal samples. Serological methods are also widely used. DNA amplification tests (PCR and its modifications) can provide alternative approach for diagnosis and can be sensitive and specific, provided reliable molecular genetic markers are employed in the tests. Their use can be also useful for quantitative assessment of intensity of infection and in case of mixed helminthiases. These methods can be deployed under different clinic-epidemiological settings - various health treatment facilities and in the field, including epidemiological surveys.
