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The interpretation of faecal egg-counts

I. Daily variations in Fasciola hepatica egg-counts in cattle

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Summary

Details are given of five experiments involving 108 cattle suspected of being infected with sub-clinical fascioliasis hepatica. The defaecation rhythms of these animals was determined. Daily variations in the eggcounts (eggs per gram faeces) were recorded for 101 of these animals from naturally produced faeces (1,114 samples). A comparison is made between the results of the present experiments and those obtained by Dorsman (e.g. 1962) on a much smaller scale, and it is concluded that the regular fluctuations observed by this worker must be treated with some reserve. Inter-individual and inter-farm variations are such that it is difficult to make a definitive statement as to when sampling should be carried out. Under the present conditions, afternoon sampling during a period of spontaneous defaecation by the cattle observed would appear to offer the chance of obtaining a picture of the infection level of the stall as a whole.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    M. R. Honer

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  1. M. R. Honer
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Department of Zoology Communication No. 19

With 5 Figures in the Text

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Honer, M.R. The interpretation of faecal egg-counts. Z. f. Parasitenkunde 26, 143–155 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00348727

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00348727

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