A comparison of Mini-FLOTAC and McMaster techniques, overdispersion and prevalence of parasites in naturally infected North American bison (Bison bison) in the USA.

Several quantitative diagnostic techniques are available to estimate gastrointestinal parasite counts in the feces of ruminants. Comparing egg and oocyst magnitudes in naturally infected samples has been a recommended approach to rank fecal techniques. In this study, we compared the Mini-FLOTAC (sensitivity of 5 eggs per gram (EPG)/oocysts per gram (OPG)) and different averaged replicates of the modified McMaster techniques (sensitivity of 33.33 EPG/OPG) in 387 fecal samples from 10 herds of naturally infected North American bison in the Central Great Plains region of the USA. Both techniques were performed with fecal slurries homogenized in a fill-FLOTAC device. In the study population, prevalence of strongyle eggs, Eimeria spp. oocysts, Moniezia spp. eggs and Trichuris spp. eggs was 81.4%, 73.9%, 7.5%, and 3.1%, respectively. Counts of strongyle eggs and Eimeria spp. oocysts obtained from 1 to 3 averaged technical replicates of the modified McMaster technique were compared to a single replicate of the Mini-FLOTAC. Correlation between the two techniques increased with an increase in the number of averaged technical replicates of the modified McMaster technique used to calculate EGP/OPG. The correlation for Moniezia spp. EPG when averaged triplicates of the modified McMaster technique were compared to a single replicate of the Mini-FLOTAC count was high; however, the correlation for Trichuris spp. eggs was low. Additionally, we used averaged counts from both techniques to show the overdispersion of parasites in bison herds.

Mailed fecal testing and patient navigation versus usual care to improve rates of colorectal cancer screening and follow-up colonoscopy in rural Medicaid enrollees: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Screening reduces incidence and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC), yet US screening rates are low, particularly among Medicaid enrollees in rural communities. We describe a two-phase project, SMARTER CRC, designed to achieve the National Cancer Institute Cancer MoonshotSM objectives by reducing the burden of CRC on the US population. Specifically, SMARTER CRC aims to test the implementation, effectiveness, and maintenance of a mailed fecal test and patient navigation program to improve rates of CRC screening, follow-up colonoscopy, and referral to care in clinics serving rural Medicaid enrollees. METHODS: Phase I activities in SMARTER CRC include a two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial of a mailed fecal test and patient navigation program involving three Medicaid health plans and 30 rural primary care practices in Oregon and Idaho; the implementation of the program is supported by training and practice facilitation. Participating clinic units were randomized 1:1 into the intervention or usual care. The intervention combines (1) mailed fecal testing outreach supported by clinics, health plans, and vendors and (2) patient navigation for colonoscopy following an abnormal fecal test result. We will evaluate the effectiveness, implementation, and maintenance of the intervention and track adaptations to the intervention and to implementation strategies, using quantitative and qualitative methods. Our primary effectiveness outcome is receipt of any CRC screening within 6 months of enrollee identification. Our primary implementation outcome is health plan- and clinic-level rates of program delivery, by component (mailed FIT and patient navigation). Trial results will inform phase II activities to scale up the program through partnerships with health plans, primary care clinics, and regional and national organizations that serve rural primary care clinics; scale-up will include webinars, train-the-trainer workshops, and collaborative learning activities. DISCUSSION: This study will test the implementation, effectiveness, and scale-up of a multi-component mailed fecal testing and patient navigation program to improve CRC screening rates in rural Medicaid enrollees. Our findings may inform approaches for adapting and scaling evidence-based approaches to promote CRC screening participation in underserved populations and settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at clinicaltrial.gov ( NCT04890054 ) and at the NCI's Clinical Trials Reporting Program (CTRP #: NCI-2021-01032) on May 11, 2021.

New fecal test for non-invasive Helicobacter pylori detection: A diagnostic accuracy study.

AIM: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of a new fecal test for detecting Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), using13C-urea breath test as the reference standard, and explore bacterial antibiotic resistance. METHODS: We conducted a prospective two-center diagnostic test accuracy study. We enrolled consecutive people≥ 18 years without previous diagnosis of H. pylori infection, referred for dyspepsia between February and October 2017. At enrollment, all participants underwent 13C-urea breath test. Participants aged over 50 years were scheduled to undergo upper endoscopy with histology. Participants collected stool samples 1-3 d after enrollment for a new fecal investigation (THD fecal test). The detection of bacterial 23S rRNA subunit gene indicated H. pylori infection. We also used the index diagnostic test to examine mutations conferring resistance to clarithromycin and levofloxacin. Independent investigators analyzed index test and reference test standard results blinded to the other test findings. We estimated sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive value, diagnostic accuracy, positive and negative likelihood ratio (LR), together with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: We enrolled 294 consecutive participants (age: Median 37.0 years, IQR: 29.0-46.0 years; men: 39.8%). Ninety-five (32.3%) participants had a positive13C-urea breath test. Twenty-three (7.8%) participants underwent upper endoscopy with histology, with a full concordance between 13C-urea breath test and histology in detecting H. pylori infection. Four (1.4%) out of the 294 participants withdrew from the study after the enrollment visit and did not undergo THD fecal testing. In the 290 participants who completed the study, the THD fecal test sensitivity was 90.2% (CI: 84.2%-96.3%), specificity 98.5% (CI:96.8%-100%), PPV 96.5% (CI: 92.6%-100%), NPV 95.6% (CI: 92.8%-98.4%), accuracy 95.9% (CI: 93.6%-98.2%), positive LR 59.5(CI: 19.3-183.4), negative LR 0.10 (CI: 0.05-0.18). Out of 83 infected participants identified with the THD fecal test, 34 (41.0%) had bacterial genotypic changes consistent with antibiotic-resistant H. pylori infection. Of these, 27 (32.5%) had bacterial strains resistant to clarithromycin, 3 (3.6%) to levofloxacin, and 4 (4.8%) to both antibiotics. CONCLUSION: The THD fecal test has high performance for the non-invasive diagnosis of H. pylori infection while additionally enabling the assessment of bacterial antibiotic resistances.

Fecal elastase-1 in healthy children up to 2 years of age: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Fecal elastase-1 (E-1) levels in infants and young children may be expected to differ from those in adults and older children because of the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract and the specificity of their diet. Despite the availability of data describing E-1 levels in the stools of preterm infants, older children, adults and subjects with malabsorption, there is still a lack of data regarding E-1 in healthy infants and toddlers. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate fecal E-1 concentrations in infants and children from 1 up to 24 months of age. MATERIAL AND METHODS: E-1 was measured in 160 healthy subjects aged 1-24 months (8 groups of 20: aged 1-3, 4-6 months, etc.) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Fecal E-1 concentrations ranged from 200 to 1695 µg/g of feces. No child had a fecal E-1 level below 200 µg/g of feces. Fecal E-1 concentrations did not significantly differ between age groups. However, fecal E-1 levels in the first 3 months were lower than in the second year of life (1-3 months vs 13-24 months, p=0.0230). A statistically significant correlation between the E-1 concentration and age was found (p=0.0007, r=0.2639; however, it does not affect the cut-off level of the reference values). The trend was rather exponential. Fecal E-1 values reached a plateau around the age of 6-10 months. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has shown that the fecal E-1 test can be reliably applied in infants and toddlers to confirm normal exocrine pancreatic function. However, within the first months of life fecal E-1 concentrations may be lower than later in life.

Helicobacter pylori DNA isolation in the stool: an essential pre-requisite for bacterial noninvasive molecular analysis.

PURPOSE: Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a widely used technique for bacterial and viral infection diagnosis. Herein, we report our preliminary experience in retrieving H. pylori genetic sequences in stools and analyzing genotypic clarithromycin resistance by RT-PCR (noninvasive), with the aim of comparing this procedure with that performed on biopsy samples (invasive). MATERIALS AND METHODS: After 'in vitro' demonstration of H. pylori DNA detection from pure and stool-mixed bacteria, 52 consecutive patients at the first diagnosis of infection were investigated. DNA was extracted from biopsy tissue and stool samples (THD® Fecal Test, Italy). RT-PCR was performed to detect 23S rRNA encoding bacterial subunit gene and search A2143G, A2142C, A2142G point mutations for clarithromycin resistance assessment. RESULTS: RT-PCR showed H. pylori positive DNA in all infected patients with full concordance between tissue and stool detection (100%). We found A2143G mutation in 10 (19.2%), A2142G in 4 (7.7%) and A2142C in 5 (9.6%) patients; there was a full agreement between biopsy and fecal samples. A2143G was found in all the four A2142G positive cases and in three out of the five A2142C positive strains. Overall clarithromycin resistance rate in our series was 23%. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the need of confirmation on large sample, stool RT-PCR analysis could represent a feasible tool to detect H. pylori DNA sequences and antibiotic resistance point mutations. As compared to tissue molecular analysis, this technique is noninvasive, with potential advantages such as improvement of patient compliance, reduction of diagnostic procedure time/cost and improvement of therapeutic outcome.

Análisis de costo - oportunidad del uso de coproscópico en diarrea aguda en menores de 5 años / Cost-opportunity analysis of the use of fecal screening test in acute diarrhea in children under 5 years old / Análise custo-oportunidade do uso do teste de verificação fecal na diarreia aguda em crianças menores de 5 anos

Objetivo: Analizar el uso de coproscópico de rutina, en menores de 5 años con diarrea aguda, en un Hospital de primer nivel de Bogotá y evaluar la mejor forma de asignar los recursos usados en esta intervención a una alternativa que produzca mayor beneficio. Métodos: Revisión de la literatura en diarrea aguda y utilidad del coproscópico. Recopilación de datos de consultas por diarrea en niños de 0-5 años y coproscópicos realizados entre octubre de 2011 y febrero de 2012 en Hospital de Bogotá, con selección de aquellos sugestivos de enfermedad enteroinvasiva, cálculo del costo de su uso y estimación del costo-oportunidad en realización de programas que reduzcan la morbimortalidad en menores de 5 años. Resultados: La principal etiología de la enfermedad diarreica es viral. Más de 5 leucos/campo tiene una sensibilidad y especificidad adecuada que no supera la valoración clínica. Se solicitó coproscópico en 44.8%; el 14.6% sugerían enfermedad enteroinvasiva. El 30.2% de los pacientes no requerían coproscópico y su costo corresponde a $5.266.400. Conclusiones: La utilidad del coproscópico es baja y no mejora la probabilidad pretest de diarrea enteroinvasiva, es necesario abordar la el análisis de costo-oportunidad para la distribución correcta de los recursos en intervenciones que reduzcan la morbimortalidad.

Objective: To analyze the use of routine fecal screening test in children under 5 years old, with acute diarrheal disease in a primary care level hospital in Bogotá and evaluate how best the resources used in this intervention can be allocated to an alternative one, that produces greater benefit . Methods: Review of the literature on acute diarrhea and utility of fecal screening test. Data collection of diarrhea consultations in children under 5 years old and fecal screening test done between October 2011 and February 2012 in a Bogota´s Hospital. Selecting those one, which diagnoses enteroinvasive diarrhea and costing of routine use, and estimated opportunity-cost in programs to reduce morbi-mortality in children under 5 years old. Results: The main etiology of diarrhea is viral. More than 5 WBCs / field has adequate sensitivity and specificity, but the clinical assessment is better on detection of enteroinvasive disease. Fecal screening test was requested in 44.8 %; 14.6 % was suggested enteroinvasive disease. The resources used in 30.2 % of patients did not require the test match to US$2.633. Conclusions: The utility of Fecal screening test is low and does not imprve the pretest probability of enteroinvasive diarrhea. Is necessary to address the cost-opportunity analysis for the proper distribution of resources in intervetions that reduce the morbi-mortality.

Objetivo: Analisar o uso do teste rotineiro de triagem fecal em crianças menores de 5 anos com doença diarréica aguda em um hospital de atenção primária em Bogotá e avaliar a melhor forma de alocação dos recursos utilizados nessa intervenção para uma alternativa que produza maior benefício. Métodos: Revisão da literatura sobre diarréia aguda e utilidade do teste de triagem fecal. Coleta de dados de consultas de diarréia em crianças menores de 5 anos e teste de triagem fecal realizado entre outubro de 2011 e fevereiro de 2012 em um hospital de Bogotá. Selecionar aquelas que diagnosticam diarréia entero-invasiva e custo de uso rotineiro e custo de oportunidade estimado em programas para reduzir a morbi-mortalidade em crianças menores de 5 anos. Resultados: A principal etiologia da diarréia é viral. Mais de 5 WBCs / campo tem sensibilidade e especificidade adequadas, mas a avaliação clínica é melhor na detecção de doença enteroinvasiva. O teste de triagem fecal foi solicitado em 44,8%; 14,6% foi sugerida doença enteroinvasiva. Os recursos utilizados em 30,2% dos pacientes não necessitaram do teste correspondente a US $ 2,633. Conclusões: A utilidade do teste de triagem Fecal é baixa e não melhora a probabilidade pré-teste de diarréia enteroinvasiva. É necessário abordar a análise custo-oportunidade para a distribuição adequada de recursos em intervenções que reduzam a morbi-mortalidade.

A novel multitarget stool DNA test for colorectal cancer screening.

Review of: Imperiale TF, Ransohoff DF, Itzkowitz SH, Levin TR, Lavin P, Lidgard GP, Ahlquist DA, Berger BM. Multitarget stool DNA testing for colorectal-cancer screening. N Engl J Med 2014;370(14):1287-97. This Practice Pearl reviews the results of a prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional clinical study that evaluated the performance of a new multitarget stool DNA (or mt-sDNA) screening test for colorectal cancer (CRC) and compared it with a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in individuals at average risk for CRC. The potential impact of this test on the future of CRC screening is also discussed in a brief commentary. mt-sDNA testing is a noninvasive screening test designed to detect DNA biomarkers associated with colorectal neoplasia and occult hemoglobin in the stool. The sensitivity of mt-sDNA testing for detection of CRC was 92.3%, compared with 73.8% for FIT (p = 0.002). Sensitivity for detecting advanced precancerous lesions was 42.4% for mt-sDNA testing and 23.8% for FIT (p < 0.001). The specificities of mt-sDNA testing and FIT were 86.6% and 94.9%, respectively (p < 0.001). mt-sDNA testing thus may be a first-line screening option for asymptomatic individuals at average risk for CRC who do not want to have a colonoscopy.