WORMS!!!!

I took a photo of this Microfilaria on last months Parasitology NEQAS. It was indeed Loa Loa. I find this species the easier one to diagnose, mainly because the sheath gives just a halo impression when stained with Giemsa (requires haematoxylin to be seen) and that the nuclei extend right to the tip of the tail. This coincided nicely with today’s UK NEQAS yearly parasitology course, which I attended online. Dr Samuel Boadi, gave a simple breakdown of the features of the tail, in three Filariasis species.

I’ll remember this now, Wucheria Bancrofti- nuclei do not extend to the tip of the tail, whereas Loa Loa, they do. Brugia Malayi is quite distinct with two nuclei separated from one another. Interesting on the NEQAS expert comment, it was suggested that Filaria can be seen macroscopically on a slide. My colleague described it as almost looking like an eyelash. I’m going to have another look, see if I can spot them!