title: The scanning electron microscope in microbiology and diagnosis of infectious disease.
abstract: Despite being an excellent tool for investigating ultrastructure, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is less frequently used than transmission electron microscopy for microbes such as viruses or bacteria. Here we describe rapid methods that allow SEM imaging of fully hydrated, unfixed microbes without using conventional sample preparation methods. We demonstrate improved ultrastructural preservation, with greatly reduced dehydration and shrinkage, for specimens including bacteria and viruses such as Ebola virus using infiltration with ionic liquid on conducting filter substrates for SEM.
authors.affiliation: Viral Diseases Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Christine G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Golding
authors.affiliation: Viral Diseases Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.|Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Lindsey L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lamboo
authors.affiliation: Viral Diseases Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Beniac
authors.affiliation: Viral Diseases Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.|Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Timothy F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Booth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D052578:Ionic Liquids; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014780:Viruses / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D052578:Ionic Liquids