Background: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) still stand as the foremost obstacles in public health
of schoolchildren in developing countries. Rapid accurate diagnosis is essential for implementation, and
monitoring of programs for community control of IPIs.
Objective: To assess the efficacy of Feconomics® technique in comparison with traditional techniques i.e.,
direct wet mounts, and formalin ethyl acetate concentration technique (FECT) for the diagnosis of IPIs in
school children.
Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years.
Demographic data were collected using a structured questionnaire. All stool samples were microscopically
examined by direct saline and iodine wet mounts, FECT, and Feconomics® technique. Concentrated stool
samples were stained with Kinyoun's acid-fast method.
Results: The detection rate of intestinal parasites by direct wet mounts, FECT and Feconomics®
technique were 16%, 34 %, 58% respectively. The most prevalent parasite detected by Feconomics® was
Cryptosporidium spp. (18%) followed by G. lamblia (15%), H. nana (13%), E. histolytica/dispar complex
(9%), E. coli (7%), C. cayetanensis (2%), E. vermicularis (2%), and 1% for each of Blastocystis spp., intestinal
Microsporidium and A. lumbricoides. The detection rate of IPIs was not significantly associated with age,
sex, residence or family size but was significantly higher in autumn than winter (P<0.03). The sensitivity,
specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) of Feconomics® compared with direct wet
mounts as gold standard were 100%, 50%, 27.6% and 100% respectively with an accuracy of 58% and
area under curve (AUC) of 0.750. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of Feconomics® compared with
FECT as gold standard were 91.2%, 59.1%,53.4%, and 92.9%, respectively with an accuracy of 70% and
AUC of 0.751.
Conclusion: Use of Feconomics® is suggested for the routine diagnosis of IPIs in developing countries
especially since a centrifuge is not required and it eliminates large stool particles.