Modified Giemsa staining for rapid diagnosis of malaria infection

To develop and evaluate a rapid method for the diagnosis of malaria infection by microscopy of stained blood films. Subjects and Blood specimens were collected from randomly selected confirmed malaria cases [n = 75] and suspected malaria cases [n = 175]. The microscopy was done on each set of blood films stained by modified and the standard Giemsa staining methods. All the 75 previously diagnosed malaria cases were confirmed by the microscopy of blood films stained by both methods. Forty-nine [28%] of the 175 cases suspected for malaria infection showed malarial parasites on microscopy of blood films stained by both methods. However, due to homogeneous staining and clearer background of the blood films it was possible to determine the parasite species in 65% of the cases on microscopy of the thick films stained with the modified method compared to only 20% with the standard method. Further, the turnaround time for reporting the microscopy test result was 15-20 and 45-50 min with modified and standard staining methods, respectively. Our data showed that performance of the modified staining method in detecting malarial parasites was comparable to that of the standard staining method. Moreover, the modified staining method was rapid, easy to use, and reliable

Human myiasis in Kuwait due to oestrus ovis, psychoda species and Megaselia species

A case of opthalmomyiasis due to Oestrus ovis in Kuwait is described and cases involving this species since 1988 are reviewed. In 1993, 18 cases were recorded with a major peak in incidence in March to May and a minor peak in October and November. Four further cases of myiasis are recorded for the first time from Kuwait, 2 of facultative urinary tract myiasis due to Psychoda species and 2 accidental digestive tract myiasis due to a Megaselia species and to O. ovis. In all cases of myiasis, counseling and reassurance of the patient is stressed as an important aspect of management of the condition

Dracunculus medinensis: a dying worm masquerading as tumoral calcinosis

Guinea worm transmission is targeted to be the first among the parasites to be eliminated globally. Chronic manifestations of the infection, however, are still likely to be seen over the next decade or two. When such patients present, especially in non-endemic countries, diagnosis may be problematical. We report a patient who presented with pain and swelling in the left lumbar region. On fine needle aspiration cytology, a provisional diagnosis of tumoral calcinosis was considered. However, on biopsy of the superficial lesion, a degenerated female Dracunculus medinensis was identified on the basis of the morphology of the adult worm and the larvae present in the body cavity. Although D. medinensis is likely to be a medical relic in the near future, attention is drawn to this case as the disease manifestations caused by the parasite are likely to still be encountered. Because of the bizarre presentations that may occur, a definitive diagnosis is essential for the prognosis of the patient as the infection caused by the worm may masquerade as a number of other clinical conditions

Differential staining of schistosome ova in biopsies

The significance of identifying the infecting schistosome species has been high lighted recently by the availability of specific chemotherapeutic agents and an awareness that the tissue response - and therefore the prognosis - may be species-dependent. Moreover human interference with the ecological systems in parts of the developing world has modified the epidemiological map of schistosomiasis resulting in a rising incidence of mixd infections. Differentiation between the ova of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium the two species commonly seen in immigrants to Kuwait and to other non-endemic areas of the world, usually poses no problems in urinary and faecal specimens. However, in histopathological samples, their distinctive morphological features cannot often be assessed reliably. We obtained satisfactory differentiation by using a modified Ziehl-Neelsen method on 81 routinely fixed and processed biopsy samples. Moreover, on destained sections previously stained with haematoxylin and eosin, the differences were equally evident. Details of the method and its applications both in routine histopathological practice and for research arc discussed