presented at the American
Society of Microbiology National Meeting, 1996
Poster C-105:
A Modified Technique for Rapid Detection
of Microsporidia
RON PATTEN and STEWART LIPTON. Scientific Device Laboratory, Des
Plaines, IL
In recent studies with HIV infected individuals, incidence of
microsporidia can exceed 20%. With the recent cutbacks in laboratory
personnel and the need to report results faster, a more rapid
mthod for identification of these organisms was needed. Increaseed
temperature was attenpted to facilitate staining. The SgtainQuick
Coplin jar was constructed using a metal heat collar and wrapped
around a poluethylene coplin jar. Smears using 10% fecal suspension
containing Encepalitozoon hellum were prepared. Smears
were stained using Weber's modified Trichrome Stain. Temperatures
were attained by varying the voltage to the collar. Voltages of
4.5 (40°C), 6 (50°C), 9 (60°C) and 12 (70°C) were
used. Control smears were tested at room temperature. Staining
times of 30 seconds, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 minutes were employed,
in addition to the standardized 90 minutes at room temperature.
Smear were rated using the criteria of clarity and background
staining. Optimal temperature and time for staining microsporidia
was found to be 50°C for less than 1 minture. Organisms stained
pink to red and the background was a dark green. Internal structure
was easily seen. This easy technique was not only efficient, but
quite reproducible.
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decolorizer/counterstain
stains background organisms for greater specificity
Stain microsporidia
sps. faster and more efficiently.¹ StainQuick™ maintains
a constant temperature in the stain. The heated stain penetrates
organisms more efficiently and in less than a minute.²
The decolorizer/counterstain stains all background organisms
for greater specificity. Durable 60ml coplin jars and rack are
made of microwavable polyethylene. The system runs on 7 .5 volts
and components are SA and UL approved. For staining of microsporidia
use our modified Trichrome Stain Kit² (Cat # 7843) which
includes one bottle each of stain and decolorizer/counterstain
(250ml each).
¹
Patten, et. al., ASM, Ses 43:40, 1996
² Patten and Lipton, ASM, Ses 94: C220, 1997
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