AMEBOFLAGELLATES IN BRONCHIAL-ASTHMA

OBJECTIVE: To distinguish between the existence of detached ciliary tu fts (DCTs) and the possibility of protozoa in the sputum of asthma pat ients. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred six samples of sputum obtained front 97 patients hospitalized with either asthma or other respiratory disea ses were examined blindly. The combination of such criteria as movemen t, absence of basal plate, existence of red granules, positivity for u ltraviolet light and Heidenhain's iron hematoxylin stain (for protozoa ) seas employed to distinguish between DCTs and true protozoa. RESULTS : The presence of ameboflagellates in sputum has a diagnostic accuracy of 86% in predicting or ruling out the possibility of acute asthma. C ONCLUSION: The presence of ameboflagellate forms is closely related to the existence of bronchial asthma, and these results reflect some eti opathogenic significance in asthma.