A NEW METHOD FOR COUNTING SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI EGGS IN FAECES: WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THERAPEUTIC TRIALS.

The author describes a new method for estimating the daily egg output from patients with Schistosoma mansoni infestation. It is suggested that this method-which combines faecal dilution, concentration by filtration and staining of the eggs with ninhydrin-is sufficiently accurate and sensitive to allow the results of treatment to be expressed as the percentage reduction in egg output rather than in the somewhat misleading terms of the "cure rate" usually adopted at present. The author also discusses the theoretical and practical advantages of this approach to the evaluation of treatment.