Comparison of Dennis' technique with post mortem hepatic findings for the diagnosis of bovine fasciolosis

Abstract

Fasciolosis is a type of parasitism, caused by the trematodes Fasciola hepa-tica that uses mollusks lymneids as intermediate hosts. This parasite is widely distributed in the region and the country; its diagnosis is routinely performed through coprologic techniques applied to parasited vertebrates, consisting of egg detection in feces. The most commonly used, due to its brevity and low cost is the Dennis technique. This coprologic technique is based on the principle of eggs sedimentation. Therefore, it depends on their outflow in the faecal matter, which makes it little sensitive for the parasite detection. Consequently, this study makes a comparison between the finds in the liver of slaughtered cattle of the plant Matadero in Tunja and the results of the Dennis technique, practiced in faecal samples of the same animals. The procedure was developed in a laboratory, getting data that indicates that the Dennis technique is not sensitive enough to the Fasciola hepatica diagnosis and its continuous use must be evaluated.