The stability of S. mansoni egg count, using Kato-Katz method, was evaluated in 144 persons living in an endemic area of Minas Gerais State. The results obtained with the first stool examination were compared to the mean obtained with three examinations performed within a period of eleven weeks. The patients were classified in three different groups according to the numberof eggsfound in the first stool examination: < 100, 100-499, 500-999 and ≥ 1000 eggs (classification A); < 100, 100-499 and ≥ 500 eggs (classification B); < 500, 500-999 and ≥ 1000 eggs (classification C). The proportion of patients that remained within the same class of number of eggs (73-81%) was statistically similar in classifications A, B and C. The Pearson correlation coeficient was high (r = 0,9038) and the geometric mean number of eggs with the fist examination was similar to the one obtained with the three stool examinations (575.7 ±5.4 and 556.6 + 4.4, respectively).
Schistosomiasis mansoni; Schistosoma mansoni; Stool examination; Kato-Katz method