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Monthy Case Studies - 2002
Case #76 - January, 2002
A child with nausea, anorexia, and explosive, watery diarrhea was seen by a physician who ordered an O & P (ova and parasites) stool examination. Below are images from a wet mount preparation stained with Lugol's iodine (Figure A) and from a trichrome stained smear of the child's stool specimen (Figures B, C, and D). The average size of the objects in the images was 13 µm in length and 8 µm in width. What is your diagnosis? Based on what criteria?
Figure A
Figure B
Figure C
Figure D
Answer to Case #76
This was a case of giardiasis caused by Giardia intestinalis. Only cysts of the parasite were observed in this specimen. Morphologic diagnostic features included:
- the presence of oval (sometimes round) smooth-walled cysts measuring 11 to 14 µm in length and 7 to 10 µm in width.
- the presence of 2-4 nuclei in the cysts. All 4 nuclei are rarely visible in the same focal plane.
- the presence of a longitudinal axostyle.
More on: Giardiasis
Images presented in the monthly case studies are from specimens submitted for diagnosis or archiving. On rare occasions, clinical histories given may be partly fictitious.
