HIGH-TRHROUGHPUT FLUORESCENCE-BASED IDENTIFICATION OF HAEMONCHUS CONTORTUS PARASITES IN SHEEP FECAL SAMPLES

H. contortus is the GI species with greatest pathologic and economic importance in sheep. Current diagnostics depend on exacting lab techniques, including manual egg counts and larval differentiation, all of which require time, effort, and specialized technicians. The present project aimed to expedite and automate the identification of H. contortus by taking advantage of an exclusive feature of these parasites’ egg shell. Our results have led to a novel high-throughput screening fluorescence detection method, allowing for an accurate and rapid quantification of H. contortus eggs.