03159nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001653003100042653002000073653001700093653001200110653003500122653001400157100001600171700001500187700001800202700001600220700001300236700001500249700001400264700001500278700001300293245015000306856009000456300001300546490000700559520227700566022001402843       2016                            d10aSoil-transmitted helminths10aschistosomiasis10aMobile Phone10aMhealth10aIntestinal protozoa infections10adiagnosis1 aCoulibaly J1 aOuattara M1 aD'Ambrosio MV1 aFletcher DA1 aKeiser J1 aUtzinger J1 aN'Goran E1 aAndrews JR1 aBogoch I00aAccuracy of mobile phone and handheld light microscopy for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis and intestinal protozoa infections in Côte d'Ivoire.  uhttp://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/asset?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0004768.PDF  ae00047680 v103 a<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Handheld light microscopy using compact optics and mobile phones may improve the quality of health care in resource-constrained settings by enabling access to prompt and accurate diagnosis.</p>

<p><strong>METHODOLOGY: </strong>Laboratory technicians were trained to operate two handheld diagnostic devices (Newton Nm1 microscope and a clip-on version of the mobile phone-based CellScope). The accuracy of these devices was compared to conventional light microscopy for the diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium, S. mansoni, and intestinal protozoa infection in a community-based survey in rural Côte d'Ivoire. One slide of 10 ml filtered urine and a single Kato-Katz thick smear from 226 individuals were subjected to the Newton Nm1 microscope and CellScope for detection of Schistosoma eggs and compared to conventional microscopy. Additionally, 121 sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin (SAF)-fixed stool samples were examined by the Newton Nm1 microscope and compared to conventional microscopy for the diagnosis of intestinal protozoa.</p>

<p><strong>PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: </strong>The prevalence of S. haematobium, S. mansoni, Giardia intestinalis, and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar, as determined by conventional microscopy, was 39.8%, 5.3%, 20.7%, and 4.9%, respectively. The Newton Nm1 microscope had diagnostic sensitivities for S. mansoni and S. haematobium infection of 91.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 59.8-99.6%) and 81.1% (95% CI 71.2-88.3%), respectively, and specificities of 99.5% (95% CI 97.0-100%) and 97.1% (95% CI 92.2-99.1%), respectively. The CellScope demonstrated sensitivities for S. mansoni and S. haematobium of 50.0% (95% CI 25.4-74.6%) and 35.6% (95% CI 25.9-46.4%), respectively, and specificities of 99.5% (95% CI 97.0-100%) and 100% (95% CI 86.7-100%), respectively. For G. intestinalis and E. histolytica/E. dispar, the Newton Nm1 microscope had sensitivity of 84.0% (95% CI 63.1-94.7%) and 83.3% (95% CI 36.5-99.1%), respectively, and 100% specificity.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: </strong>Handheld diagnostic devices can be employed in community-based surveys in resource-constrained settings after minimal training of laboratory technicians to diagnose intestinal parasites.</p>
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