Use of an Agar-gel Technique for Large Scale Application to Recover Ascaris suum Larvae from Intestinal Contents of Pigs

Abstract

Four groups each of 3 pigs were inoculated with Ascaris suum eggs. Pigs in groups 1 and 3 were inoculated with 1000 eggs, and pigs in groups 2 and 4 with 10000 eggs. On day 10 and 21 post-inoculation (p.i.), respectively, groups 1 + 2 and 3 + 4 were slaughtered, and the contents from the small intestines collected. The contents were mixed with agar to a final concentration of 1% agar and allowed to sediment. The larvae were allowed to migrate from the agar-gel into 38°C 0.9% saline overnight, and were then collected on a sieve (20 μm mesh) and counted. The larvae retained in the agar-gel were counted after pouring the melted agar through a sieve (20 μm mesh). The results showed that more than 97% of the larvae migrated out of the agar-gel and were available for counting in an almost clean suspension. The inoculation dose level did not significantly affect the recovery percentage, neither did the larval stage (10 or 21 days old larvae). The variation in the time interval from slaughtering to start of incubation (interval 57–155 min) did not significantly affect the recovery percentage.