Evolving the Automated Diagnosis of Intestinal Parasites through Three-Dimensional Tomography via OCT

• Grant number: 24/04848-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Jancarlo Ferreira Gomes
• Grantee: Jancarlo Ferreira Gomes
• Associated researchers: Bianca Martins dos Santos ; Edvaldo Sabadini

Abstract

Human enteroparasitosis is classified as one of the most common and harmful diseases in countries with tropical, subtropical, and equatorial climates, including Brazil. These pathologies are strictly related to the socioeconomic vulnerability of the populations of these nations. Routine diagnosis seeks to highlight the presence of the etiological agents causing these anomalies using the Fecal Parasitological Examination (FPE), especially as this analysis is cost-effective. Because the FPE is a secular examination, clinical laboratories, public and private, need more modern, practical, and effective tools that meet the high demand for these enteric diseases. Immunological and molecular diagnoses, as they have specific uses, depend on appropriate physical structures and permanent and consumable materials with high-added costs, which are laborious to apply in routine laboratories. Recent studies show that parasitological protocols associated with computers present considerable values in detecting enteroparasites, unlike the low and moderate sensitivities displayed by conventional techniques and commercial kits. For the first phase of technical/scientific and economic feasibility analysis, this proposal aims to evolve with inventiveness in the application stages of an Automated Diagnosis of Intestinal Parasites (ADIP) system, previously originated at the partner research institution of this project. As material and methods, using a prototypical unit composed of a parasitological protocol, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) equipment, and a computer with appropriate software, this plan should take advantage of the following research steps: I. Concentrate Schistosoma mansoni eggs, eliminating fecal debris, using a new and simple laboratory principle that uses a two-phase solution involving water and oleic compound; II. Apply the detection of this parasitic organism uniquely by using microplates with wells containing fecal suspension and a three-dimensional (3D) volumetric image acquisition system using OCT; and III. Develop a software for using OCT images, capable of detecting the eggs of this parasitic specimen. At this stage of the research, we will prefer to work on S. mansoni eggs due to the limitation of axial resolution (7 µm) of the OCT device. This study stage will be made possible by the project's team of experts, considering the evidential evaluation of the segmentation and computerized identification of each egg present in the volumetric image resulting from the OCT prototype. We assume that the results of this work will be put into practice so that we can extend this research to Phase 2 of development and proof of concept, especially with the extension of the research to the rest of the most prevalent enteroparasites in the country. As an impact, a small research company must be established with the approval of the merits of this proposal in order to allow this corporation to partner with a renowned government higher education institution in the State of São Paulo. The target market will be able to take advantage of a new, practical, efficient, and affordable way to carry out the FPE, with a series of advances compared to what is currently offered to clinical laboratories in our country and the rest of the world. (AU)