A NEW ACID-FAST TRICHROME STAIN FOR SIMULTANEOUS DETECTION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM-PARVUM AND MICROSPORIDIAL SPECIES IN STOOL SPECIMENS

The detection in stool specimens of Cryptosporidium parvum and microsp oridia, the most frequent parasitic pathogens causing diarrhea in AIDS patients, until now has depended on two different staining methods. H owever, since double infections occur and minimization of laboratory c osts is mandatory, development of a method for simultaneous detection of these parasites appeared desirable. We report on a new inexpensive, and easy-to-perform staining procedure to demonstrate both acid-fast oocysts of C. parvum and other coccidia, as well as microsporidial spo res. This acid-fast trichrome stain yields results comparable to those obtained by the Kinyoun and modified trichrome methods and considerab ly reduces the time necessary for microscopic examination.