title: Zinc PVA versus potassium dichromate for preservation of microsporidian spores of human origin.
abstract: Microsporidia are emerging opportunistic parasites. Preservation of the biological properties of microsporidian spores is often required in research work. The present study compared two preservatives; zinc polyvinyl alcohol (zinc PVA) and potassium dichromate solutions for preservation of microsporidian spores separated from human faecal samples. After 0, 1, 2 and 4 months of storage, morphological features and staining characters of the spores were assessed by light microscopy in modified trichrome-stained smears and their viability percentages were calculated using acridine orange/ethidium bromide mixture. Also, spore infectivity was evaluated by faecal spore shedding and intestinal spore load in mice orally inoculated with the preserved spores. Results revealed that morphological features, staining characters and viability of the spores were maintained in both solutions throughout the study period. Spore infectivity was completely preserved in zinc PVA solution but showed significant reduction in potassium dichromate solution at the fourth month of the preservation duration.
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. hend_omn@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Hend Aly
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: El-Taweel
authors.forename: Mona Mohammed
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tolba
authors.forename: Hayam Abdelmonem
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sadaka
authors.forename: Lobna Abdelaziz
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: El-Zawawy
authors.forename: Mervat Mostafa
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Osman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D016816:Microsporida / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000469:parasitology; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000737:chemistry*; D011192:Potassium Dichromate / Q000737:chemistry*; D033761:Spores, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification*; D019287:Zinc Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D019287:Zinc Sulfate; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; D011192:Potassium Dichromate