This week's case was graciously donated by Dr. Kyle Rodino, one of our outstanding former Medical Microbiology fellows. The following specimen was submitted to the clinical microbiology laboratory in vodka (which deserves extra points for creativity). Identification?
8 comments:
Human lice (Pediculus). Almost certainly head lice and their eggs. I've received many in vodka and other spirits. That's better than gasoline, kerosene or a jar full of a pesticide. There's no need to use any fixative or preservative for lice.
usually vodka ends up leading to Pthiris, not Pediculus... }:-D
Wow, a new way to start the NewYear. A bunch of drunk head lice and well seasoned eggs. So drunk the Pediculus (Pedi for foot) went heel over head. Anyway the name Pediculus humanus var. capitis may have its name origin otherwise.
Florida Fan.
Marvelous pictures, as usual! These should be Pediculus humanus capitis. In the second image, basing on lenght, I think we can see different stages: stage 2 nymph (the one to the right), stage 3 nymph (the second from above) and adults. Happy new year!
Italian new fan
In the second picture I see five females (all with a W like posterior end) as well as one (most probably) third instar nymph. In addition some eggs/nits. In the third picture there are two females,in the anterior and posterior part of the louse in the middle we can see eggs while under the eggs in the posterior end there is a nit (empty egg shell without operculum. All females look well fed, which would be quite wise to not have an empty stomach before your start swimming in vodka.....
Pediculus humanus capitis
Lousy images. (someone had to say it!)
There is a long history of pickling specimens in drinking spirits. The most famous example involves Lord Horatio Nelson, who was killed during the Napoleonic Battle of Trafalgar. To preserve his body for a proper burial on land, the ship's surgeon immersed Nelson's body in a cask of rum. Upon arrival back in the UK, the receiving party opened the cask and found that the rum had been drained off surreptitiously. The assumption is that members of the crew "tapped the Admiral." (The story comes in several flavors and despite questions of veracity, I want to believe it.)
I have preserved skin biopsy specimens in drinking spirits several times. Once back at the hospital, we transferred the specimen to formalin for a day before submitting to Anatomic Pathology. The pathologists said there was no tissue artifact.
"Now, class, closely observe the worms," said the teacher while putting a worm into a beaker of water.
The worm in the water writhed about, happy as a worm in water could be.
He then put the second worm into the beaker of whiskey.
This worm curled up and writhed about painfully, then quickly sank to the bottom, dead as a doornail.
"Now, what lesson can we learn from this experiment?" he asked.
Johnny, who naturally sits in back, raised his hand and wisely, responded confidently, "Drink whisky and you won't get worms."
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