title: Cryptosporidium parvum sporozoite staining by propidium iodide.
abstract: Modified Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) acid-fast stain is the usual method for detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts in feces. Propidium iodide permitted us to stain free or intra-oocyst sporozoites. With the ZN method only 3-5% of the oocysts purified from three human and one experimentally infected lamb dichromate-preserved feces were stained by carbol fuchsin. These fuchsin-stained oocysts were free of intact sporozoites as identified by propidium iodide staining. Treatment with 10% formalin or 0.5% sodium hypochlorite increased the percentage of acid-fast stained oocysts and thus the sensitivity of acid-fast staining. Treatment with sodium hypochlorite induced intra-oocyst sporozoite alterations as demonstrated by flow cytometric analysis of the oocysts' DNA content. Propidium iodide staining of fixed oocysts is a simple and rapid method to visualize sporozoites and to assess oocyst preservation after different treatments.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U80 CNRS URA 1177 UCBL, Hôpital E. Herriot, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cozon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cannella
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Biron
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Piens
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeannin
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Revillard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D011419:Propidium; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D011419:Propidium