A novel coproparasitological diagnostic technique in wild animals: agreement with established reference methods

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Parasitology
• Wildlife Health
• Diagnostic Methodologies

Background:

• Standardization and performance variability of coproparasitological methods challenge endoparasite detection in wildlife.
• Non-invasive fecal examination is crucial for monitoring wild animal health and parasite burdens.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Simplified Parasite Detection Method (SPDM) against established coproparasitological techniques.
• To assess the agreement, comparative performance, and practicality of SPDM for wild animal fecal samples.

Main Methods:

• SPDM was compared with spontaneous sedimentation, Willis-Mollay flotation, and Mini-FLOTAC® using 143 pooled fecal samples from mammals, birds, and reptiles.
• Agreement was assessed using Cohen's kappa, and diagnostic indices were calculated relative to comparator methods.

Main Results:

• SPDM demonstrated moderate to substantial agreement with comparator methods (Cohen's κ = 0.509-0.624).
• The method exhibited high relative specificity, negative predictive values, and overall agreement, with rapid processing (approx. 5 min/sample).
• Performance varied by animal group, with higher agreement in birds and lower in reptiles; SPDM identified parasites missed by other methods.

Conclusions:

• SPDM is a practical, cost-effective, and rapid alternative for routine coproparasitological examinations in diverse settings.
• Its utility as an additional diagnostic tool for endoparasite detection in wildlife warrants further investigation.
• Comparative performance metrics should be considered due to the absence of an independent gold standard.