RVC/FAO guide to Veterinary Parasitology
McMaster egg counting technique: Principle
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The McMaster technique uses a counting chamber which enables a known volume of faecal suspension (2 x 0.15 ml) to be examined microscopically.

Thus, if a known weight of faeces and a known volume of flotation fluid are used to prepare the suspension, then the number of eggs per gram of faeces (e.p.g.) can be calculated.

The quantities are chosen so that the faecal egg-count can be easily derived by multiplying the number of eggs under the marked areas by a simple conversion factor.

The McMaster chamber has two compartments, each with a grid etched onto the upper surface. When filled with a suspension of faeces in flotation fluid, much of the debris will sink while eggs float to the surface, where they can easily be seen and those under the grid counted.

McMaster slide

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