Comparison between spontaneous sedimentation method and Paratest® for the diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infections.

Correct diagnosis of parasitic infections is essential for the treatment of individuals avoiding indiscriminate use of anthelmintics which increases drug resistance. In a comparative study between the spontaneous sedimentation technique and Paratest(®), 140 stool samples were analyzed for the detection of parasites. The prevalence was 12.7% obtained by the spontaneous sedimentation method but only 5.7% using Paratest(®). Paratest(®) has shown a high proportion of false-negative results, lower sensitivity and negative predictive values compared with the spontaneous sedimentation method. Further optimization and studies of the Paratest(®) method are necessary for wider use in clinical diagnosis.