Coolpix 5400 digital camera

Once the species identification of the host was confirmed, we assessed the parasite content of the samples by using the method described in Drakulovski et al. 2013 (link). For each sample, 1 ml of 50:50 stool/RNAlater® mix was thawed at room temperature. Each sample was then vortexed briefly. Then, 100 μl was mixed with 100 μl of physiological serum. Next, 50 μl of the sample–physiological serum mix were smeared on a slide and observed directly under a microscope (Olympus BX41). A second slide was prepared using Para-selles KOP Color II (Fumouze diagnostics, France) dye (10 μl of dye for 50 μl of stool/physiological serum mix). When the slides results were both negative or when a significant discrepancy was found, either in type or in number of parasitic elements, between coloured and not coloured slides, two additional smears were performed. The species, number and the shape of the parasitic elements, as well as their ability to be dyed, were recorded. The parasitic elements were photographed using a Nikon Coolpix 5400 digital camera.