May, 2009

Case 251
A 45-year-old pig farmer from rural Georgia presented to his health care provider with abdominal pain, cramps and diarrhea.  Stool specimens were collected in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and 10% formalin for ova and parasite (O&P) examination.  The objects in Figures A and B, which measured on average 90 micrometers in length, were observed in low numbers in formalin-concentrated wet mounts of the stool.  The objects in Figures C and D, which measured on average 12 micrometers in diameter, were seen in moderate numbers on trichrome-stained slides prepared from the PVA-preserved stool.  What is your diagnosis?  Based on what criteria?

A	B

 

C	D

Click here for the answer to Case 251.

Case 252
A 29-year-old man from Haiti had blood drawn for routine work-up, following hospitalization for complications with a congenital disorder.  The blood was collected in EDTA tubes and sent to Hematology and Microbiology for evaluation.  The following images show what was observed on a Giemsa-stained thick smear of the blood.  The object measured 270 micrometers in length.  The image in Figure A was captured at 500x magnification; the images in Figures B and C, which show close-ups of the two ends of the same object, were taken at 1000x magnification.  What is your diagnosis?  Based on what criteria?

A	B

 

C

Click here for the answer to Case 252.

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.