title: [Standardization of Blastocystis hominis diagnosis using different staining techniques].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study was carried out from March to May 2008, with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of different techniques for diagnosing Blastocystis hominis in a sample of the population attended at the Biomedicine Laboratory of Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul.
  
  
  METHODS
  On hundred feces samples from children and adults were evaluated. After collection, the samples were subjected to the techniques of spontaneous sedimentation (HPJ), sedimentation in formalin-ether (Ritchie) and staining by means of Gram and May-Grünwald-Giemsa (MGG).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of Blastocystis hominis was observed in 40 samples, when staining techniques were used (MGG and Gram), while sedimentation techniques were less efficient (32 positive samples using the Ritchie technique and 20 positive samples using the HPJ technique).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that HPJ was less efficient than the other methods, thus indicating the need to include laboratory techniques that enable parasite identification on a routine basis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biomedicina, Setor de Parasitologia, Universidade Feevale, Novo Hamburgo, RS.
authors.forename: Dayane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eymael
authors.forename: Graziela Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Schuh
authors.forename: Rejane Giacomelli
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Tavares
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016776:Blastocystis Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016845:Blastocystis hominis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards