Fig. 4

Protocols evaluated in the first phase (I: maceration) for the recovery of Taenia saginata eggs from the gastrointestinal tract, including the time required to perform each step. A The macerated gut homogenate was further homogenized using a pestle in PBS (G.I.1) or Tween 80 (G.I.2). The pestle was rinsed with the same solution utilized previously and the tube was centrifuged at 2000 g for 5 min. B The macerated gut homogenate was digested in 1% pepsin/HCl solution by incubation at 37 °C for 1 h (G.I.3). After incubation, the tube was centrifuged at 2000 g for 5 min. Protocol notation: G, gastrointestinal tract; I, phase during which the protocol was evaluated; 1–3, protocol evaluated within that phase. PBS, Phosphate-buffered saline