Diagnostic effectiveness of conducting passive flotation in case of canine dipylidiasis

Abstract

Dipylidiasis is a cestodous disease caused by the bio-helminth of Dipylidium caninum species, which is localized in the small intestine of dogs, cats, and other carnivorous animals. The pathogen has zoonotic potential, since it can infect humans. Therefore, early diagnostics is important in order to prescribe appropriate treatment in time and increase the effectiveness of preventive measures. The methods for diagnosing dipylidiasis have to be quick and convenient to use, as well as have high sensitivity. Therefore, the aim of the research was to find the diagnostic effectiveness of the known coproscopical methods in detecting cestode cocoons. Experimental studies were per-formed in the laboratory of parasitology of Poltava State Agrarian University. The methods of passive flotation using hypertonic solutions were compared: sodium chloride (Fulleborn’s), ammonium nitrate (Kotelnikov-Khrenov’s), sugar and formalin (Sheeter’s), bischofite (Dakhno’s) and calcium nitrate (Melnychuk’s) at different exposure times of copro-samples: 10 min, 15 min and 20 min. It was found by the conducted studies that, depending on the exposure of the copro-samples, the sensitivity of the tested methods in detecting dipylidia cocoons ranged from 7.14 to 21.43 % when using hypertonic sodium chloride solution, from 64.29 to 78.57 % when using ammonium nitrate, from 14.29 to 42.86 % when using sugar and formalin, from 64.29 to 71.43 % when using bischofite, and from 71.43 to 92.86 % when using calcium nitrate. The highest rates of dipylidiasis invasion intensity were found when using calcium nitrate solution, where, depending on the exposure, they ranged from 16.67 to 21.54 cocoons/g. Melny-chuk’s method at an exposure of 10 min exceeded the effectiveness of Fulleborn’s method by 2.5 times, Sheeter’s – by 2.5 times, Kotelnikov-Khrenov’s –by 1.3 times; at an exposure of 15 min – Fulleborn’s – by 3.1 times and Sheeter’s – by 2.3 times; at an exposure of 20 min – Fulleborn’s – by 2.4 times, Sheeter’s – by 1.8 times, Kotelnikov-Khrenov’s – by 1.1 times. The obtained data allow us to recommend the passive flotation method using hypertonic calcium nitrate solution as an effective and sensitive method for laboratory coproscopical diagnostics of canine dipylidiasis.