PMID- 10747149
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20000517
LR  - 20200724
IS  - 0095-1137 (Print)
IS  - 1098-660X (Electronic)
IS  - 0095-1137 (Linking)
VI  - 38
IP  - 4
DP  - 2000 Apr
TI  - Comparison of polyvinyl alcohol fixative with three less hazardous fixatives for 
      detection and identification of intestinal parasites.
PG  - 1592-8
AB  - Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) containing the fixative mercuric chloride is considered 
      the "gold standard" for the fixation of ova and parasites in the preparation of 
      permanently stained smears of stool specimens. However, mercuric chloride is 
      potentially hazardous to laboratory personnel and presents disposal problems. We 
      compared three new alternative, nontoxic fixatives with PVA, analyzing ease of 
      sample preparation and quality of smears. Sixty-eight fresh stool specimens were 
      divided into aliquots and placed in each of four different fixatives: PARASAFE 
      (PS) (Scientific Devices Laboratory, Inc., Des Plaines, Ill.), ECOFIX (EC) 
      (Meridian Diagnostics, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio), Proto-Fix (PF) (Alpha-Tec 
      Systems, Inc., Vancouver, Wash.), and low-viscosity PVA fixative (PVA) 
      (Meridian). Specimens were processed and stained according to each manufacturer's 
      directions. Parasites were found in 31 of 68 slide preparations with PVA, 31 with 
      PF, 30 with EC, and 30 with PS. Blastocystis hominis and Iodamoeba butschlii were 
      preserved in a readily identifiable state by all methods of fixation. However, 
      some parasites were more easily identified with some of the fixatives because of 
      differences in parasite distortion. For example, Entamoeba histolytica (Entamoeba 
      dispar) was detected in 13 stools fixed with PF, 7 with PVA, and 6 with EC but 
      none with PS. Likewise, Chilomastix mesnili was identified in 13 specimens fixed 
      with PF, 8 with EC, and 5 with PVA but only 1 with PS, while Entamoeba coli was 
      seen much less frequently with PS than with the other three fixatives. A dirty 
      background was observed in 41% of specimens prepared with PS, whereas background 
      quality was acceptable with other fixatives. Sample preparation was most rapid 
      with PS, although the EC method involved the fewest steps. In conclusion, PVA and 
      PF produced the least parasite distortion, while PS proved unsatisfactory for the 
      identification of E. histolytica, E. coli, and C. mesnili. Both PF and EC appear 
      to be acceptable, environmentally safe substitutes for PVA.
FAU - Jensen, B
AU  - Jensen B
AD  - Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, GA 30033, USA.
FAU - Kepley, W
AU  - Kepley W
FAU - Guarner, J
AU  - Guarner J
FAU - Anderson, K
AU  - Anderson K
FAU - Anderson, D
AU  - Anderson D
FAU - Clairmont, J
AU  - Clairmont J
FAU - De L'aune, W
AU  - De L'aune W
FAU - Austin, E H
AU  - Austin EH
FAU - Austin, G E
AU  - Austin GE
LA  - eng
PT  - Comparative Study
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - United States
TA  - J Clin Microbiol
JT  - Journal of clinical microbiology
JID - 7505564
RN  - 0 (Fixatives)
RN  - 0 (Hazardous Substances)
RN  - 9002-89-5 (Polyvinyl Alcohol)
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Eukaryota/classification/*isolation & purification
MH  - Feces/parasitology
MH  - *Fixatives
MH  - Hazardous Substances
MH  - Humans
MH  - Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/*diagnosis/parasitology
MH  - Parasitology/*methods
MH  - *Polyvinyl Alcohol
MH  - Protozoan Infections/*diagnosis/parasitology
PMC - PMC86497
EDAT- 2000/04/04 09:00
MHDA- 2000/05/20 09:00
PMCR- 2000/04/01
CRDT- 2000/04/04 09:00
PHST- 2000/04/04 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2000/05/20 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2000/04/04 09:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2000/04/01 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - 1107 [pii]
AID - 10.1128/JCM.38.4.1592-1598.2000 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Clin Microbiol. 2000 Apr;38(4):1592-8. doi: 10.1128/JCM.38.4.1592-1598.2000.