Comparação entre os métodos Paratest® e Hoffman, Pons e Janer (HPJ) no diagnóstico de parasitos intestinais no munícipio de Extremoz/RN

Abstract

Despite numerous advances in medical sciences in recent years, intestinal parasites continue to be a public health issue, especially in the Northeast of the country. Most intestinal parasites are diagnosed from stool ova and parasites test, which is still the best resource for laboratory diagnosis. Among the several diagnostic techniques and methods is Hoffmann, Pons and Janer’s (HPJ), also known as Lutz. This method is one of the most used tests in laboratory routine, and it is indicated for the investigation of all enteroparasites. Another method of parasitological diagnosis of feces is PARATEST® – one of the most current commercial kit that promises faster results when compared to HPJ. In this context, the aim of this research was to perform a comparative study between HPJ and PARATEST® to analyse fecal samples from inhabitants of Capim, a settlement located in the city of Extremoz/RN. The fecal samples were collected and analysed using these two techniques, which proved to be efficient. Of the total of 33 samples, 42.4% were negative and 57.6% positive, with Endolimax nana being the most frequent parasite (60.6%). Cysts of Entamoeba coli, eggs of Schistosoma mansoni, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and other parasites were also observed in lesser frequency. Of the positive samples, 63.2% were classified as monoparasitized and 36.8% as polyparasitized, with the presence of E. nana in this association in all of them. Of the total samples analysed, 33.3% were negative for both methods, which showed the same efficiency (81.8%) in identifying positive and negative samples. Considering the specificity and sensitivity of the methods, PARATEST® showed greater sensitivity (94%) and HPJ greater specificity (91%). Thus, it was possible to state that both methods are effective and complementary for a more accurate result.