[Histonet] Unencased Ameoba Stain

[Lee & Peggy Wenk]

Getting back a little late (been out of state).

If this is Acanthamoeba, then we do a PASH and/or a GMS. These are cysts, 
and show up nicely with both. The cornea can be PAS positive also, so the 
Acanthamoeba are a darker pink against a lighter pink, while the GMS is 
gray/black against the green background. It looks a lot like pneumocystis 
with a GMS, but without the bull's eye, and about 2-3 times larger.

But it's the cyst wall that is staining with the PAS and the GMS, as the 
cyst has a lot of glycogen.

But you are asking for unencased amoeba. So that sounds like no cyst. Are 
you looking for just the trophozoites? I would suggest one of the Giemsa 
stains, or maybe a Brown and Hopps. A cresyl echt violet (actually cresyl 
violet acetate, but everyone still calls it by it's old name), would 
probably also work - I read about it in the NSH Journal of Histotechnology 
about 20 years ago for the trophozoites of pneumocystis, but I've never 
tried the stain.

Peggy A. Wenk, HTL(ASCP)SLS
Beaumont Health System
Royal Oak, MI 48073

The opinions expressed are mine, and do not represent BHS.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Joseph Brooks
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 11:12 AM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Unencased Ameoba Stain

Hello All,

One of our Neuropath docs is inquiring about a special stain for unencased
ameobas in cornea biopsies.  I did a search and Gridley's Method was the
best option that appreaded.  Is there someone that could either verify this
stain will work on this organism or let me know what you stain you are
using?  Thanks in advance.

Matt Brooks
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