01687nas a2200229   4500000000100000008004100001260002200042653000800064653001500072653001500087653001400102653001200116653001500128100002000143700001600163245004200179856006400221300001200285490000600297520113100303022002301434       2015                            d  bSpringerlink.com 10aPCR10aMicroscopy10aImmunology10adiagnosis10aAscaris10aAscariasis1 aLamberton P H L1 aJourdan P M00aHuman ascariasis: Diagnostics update.  uhttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40475-015-0064-9   a189-2000 v23 a<p>Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) infect over one billion people worldwide. Ascariasis may mimic a number of conditions, and individual clinical diagnosis often requires a thorough work-up. Kato-Katz thick smears are the standard detection method for Ascaris and, despite low sensitivity, are often used for mapping and monitoring and evaluation of national control programmes. Although increased sampling (number of stools) and diagnostic (number of examinations per stool) efforts can improve sensitivity, Kato-Katz is less sensitive than other microscopy methods such as FLOTAC®. Antibody-based diagnostics may be a sensitive diagnostic tool; however, their usefulness is limited to assessing transmission in areas aiming for elimination. Molecular diagnostics are highly sensitive and specific, but high costs limit their use to individual diagnosis, drug - efficacy studies and identification of Ascaris suum. Increased investments in research on Ascaris and other STHs are urgently required for the development of diagnostic assays to support&nbsp; efforts to reduce human suffering caused by these infections.</p>
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