A significant advancement in laboratory technology is set for presentation at the APHL 2026 Annual Conference, as Contra Costa County Public Health Laboratory (CCPHL) will showcase its findings from a study on an AI-assisted ova and parasite workflow developed by Techcyte. The research, titled “Validation of the Techcyte/Pramana Platform for the Detection of Parasites in Stool Specimens in a County Public Health Laboratory,” examined the efficacy of Techcyte’s parasitology suite in conjunction with Pramana’s automated whole slide imager, known today as Evident.
The study highlights how traditional ova and parasite (O&P) testing, which typically demands extensive manual microscopy and skilled labor, can benefit from digital transformation. Facing challenges such as increasing specimen volumes and limited staffing, CCPHL sought to incorporate AI into their processes to enhance efficiency. The evaluation involved 549 patient samples analyzed with paired trichrome and wet mount slides, achieving impressive results of 97% accuracy, 98% sensitivity, and 97% specificity.
Included in the study were both new and archived patient specimens, with results compared against traditional microscopy methods. The implementation of this AI platform in January 2026 brought notable improvements in workflow efficiency, turnaround time reductions, and decreased staff fatigue, while still requiring final positive case confirmations through traditional light microscopy. The study suggests that AI integration into public health labs could help mitigate workforce shortages without compromising diagnostic standards.
Tyler Rippy, Techcyte’s Account Executive, expressed satisfaction with the collaboration, noting the promising outcomes of the study and its potential to advance AI-assisted workflows in parasitology labs. Techcyte offers a comprehensive digital solution for parasitology, supporting various staining methods within a unified workflow to enhance laboratory operations.
Techcyte, which was founded in 2013, is committed to transforming pathology practices through AI tools that improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. The company will be present at the APHL 2026 Annual Conference in Baltimore from May 4–7, where attendees can learn more about their AI-powered pathology solutions at Booth 201. Techcyte’s platform is currently designated for research use only in the United States.