USE OF A SINGLE SLIDE TRICHROME-STAINED CONCENTRATE FOR THE DETECTIONOF INTESTINAL PARASITES - STAINED CONCENTRATION PROCEDURE FOR OVA ANDPARASITES

The detection and identification of intestinal parasites was studied u sing a single slide of a trichrome-stained concentrate made from a cup ric-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-preserved specimen. When saline was used i n place of formalin in the concentration procedure, it was possible to adequately stain the concentrate with a modified-trichrome stain. Thi s was compared to a more traditional two-slide ova and parasite (O&P) procedure. Of the 1,000 specimens evaluated, a total of 261 parasites were detected using the single slide, modified trichrome-stained conce ntrate compared to 249 from the formalin/Hemo-De wet mount and 226 fro m the unconcentrated trichrome stain. The detection rate of the single slide method was comparable to the combined detection rate of the two -slide method. The saline/Hemo-De concentration procedure has the adva ntage of using nontoxic saline in place of formaldehyde. This new meth od is more cost-effective because it requires the processing and evalu ation of only one slide.