Eggs per gram (eggs/g) is a laboratory test that determines the number of
eggs per
gram of
feces
Feces ( or faeces), known colloquially and in slang as poo and poop, are the solid or semi-solid remains of food that was not digested in the small intestine, and has been broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. Feces contain a relati ...
in patients suspected of having a
parasitological infection, such as
schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever, bilharzia, and Katayama fever, is a disease caused by parasitic flatworms called schistosomes. The urinary tract or the intestines may be infected. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody s ...
.
Measuring the number of eggs per gram is the primary diagnostic method for schistosomiasis, as opposed to a
blood test
A blood test is a laboratory analysis performed on a blood sample that is usually extracted from a vein in the arm using a hypodermic needle, or via fingerprick. Multiple tests for specific blood components, such as a glucose test or a cholester ...
. Eggs per gram or another analyse like
larvae
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
The ...
per gram of
faeces is one of the most important experiments that is done in parasitology labs.
Methods to count the number of eggs per gram:
* Willis method
* McMaster method
* Clayton-Lane method
See also
*
Kato technique
The Kato technique (also called the Kato–Katz technique) is a laboratory method for preparing human stool samples prior to searching for parasite eggs.
Indications
The Kato technique is now most commonly used for detecting schistosome eggs. I ...
*
Helminths
References
External links
*
Parasitology
Clinical pathology
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