Rapid detection of pathognomonic blood cells in patients with infectious mononucleosis.
Veneous blood-citrate samples of patients with infectious mononucleosis were stained with DAPI, a newer fluorochrome (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) to demonstrate the "large atypical lymphocytes" associated with this disease. As a result of the capacity of DAPI to stain DNA and certain acid mucopolysaccharides, a rapid detection of the pathognomonic white blood cells could be achieved. Most of them revealed the well known indented or lobulated nuclei and vacuolated (foamy) cytoplasm. Others exhibited kidney-shaped nuclei, often filled with yellow-fluorescent tiny granula. In our view, the rapid, specific and sensitive DAPI-technique for detecting pathognomonic blood cells in patients with infectious mononucleosis can be considered an improved microscopic method.
D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D007211:Indoles; C007293:DAPI