Monday, May 15, 2017

Case of the Week 446

This week's very timely case was donated by George at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The following objects were seen in a wet mount of a concentrated stool specimen. They measure less than 20 micrometers in dimension and do not have an apparent operculum.

Here is their appearance using iodine:


Identification?


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20 comments:

  1. UnknownMay 15, 2017 at 9:09 PM

    I am not sure, but with the potential medical history of cancer (cancer centre), the object not having an operculum and it's small size, I think it is an artefact like a yeast cell or fungal spore...

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  2. Jairo FMay 15, 2017 at 10:58 PM

    Given the association with cancer and its morphology could it be Enterobius vermicularis?

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  3. UnknownMay 16, 2017 at 2:16 AM

    I'm not sure... dicrocoelium dendriticum? perhaps this patients eated any ant ;-)

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  4. UnknownMay 16, 2017 at 8:08 AM

    Not a parasite. Probably a fungal spore or some sort of pollen grains

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  5. Sugar MagnoliaMay 16, 2017 at 8:09 AM

    I believe the size is much too small to be Dicrocoelium, and not flattened on one side as you would see in Enterobius. I have to concur with Kevin Barker, and say it's a yeast cell of some kind, not a parasite. This is a bit of a stumper!

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  6. Sir GalahadMay 16, 2017 at 8:37 AM

    No parasites

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  7. Jacque U.May 16, 2017 at 8:58 AM

    Mushroom spore. Great mimic of pinworm eggs.

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  8. AnonymousMay 16, 2017 at 5:29 PM

    The object is not compatible in morphology with those of parasites ova. Most likely a fungal spore, cannot associate with a yeast cell since there is no budding.
    Florida Fan

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  9. UnknownMay 16, 2017 at 9:10 PM

    No parasite

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  10. UnknownMay 16, 2017 at 9:13 PM

    No parasite

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  11. Warner Anderson MDMay 16, 2017 at 11:10 PM

    Not pinworm eggs. Makes me think eggs of another sp. Iodine stain prob key.

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  12. AnonymousMay 16, 2017 at 11:13 PM

    It's hookworm egg

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  13. Sugar MagnoliaMay 17, 2017 at 4:12 AM

    Wait, wait.....I think I've got it, Bobbi! "Timely" - "Sloan Kettering Cancer Center" - This is some part of a seed or leaf of cannabis that has been ingested! At least, that's my crazy wild guess. Could it be? (I hope posters aren't limited to only one response!)

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  14. William SearsMay 17, 2017 at 5:55 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  15. William SearsMay 17, 2017 at 5:58 PM

    Morel mushroom spore

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  16. William SearsMay 17, 2017 at 6:02 PM

    However, just based on appearance alone how would you differentiate from metagonimus or heterophyes which can have hard to find operculi?

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  17. AnonymousMay 17, 2017 at 6:13 PM

    I would have to say artifact. It is too small for most other eggs and the ones that size mostly have an operculum.

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  18. UnknownMay 18, 2017 at 3:20 AM

    it' s to small for dicrocoelium... and no operculum...
    perhaps spore mushroom, I'm in confusion.
    Can you write the answer, please!!!!!

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  19. AnonymousMay 21, 2017 at 11:56 AM

    It looks like an artifact. Perhaps a mushroom spore. Too small for a mite egg though it reminds me ...

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  20. samJune 29, 2017 at 1:42 AM

    Nice article

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