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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 81(5), 2009, pp. 782-783
doi:10.4269/ajtmh.2009.09-0383;
Copyright © 2009 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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SHORT REPORT


A Simplified, Low-Cost Method for Polarized Light Microscopy

Richard J. Maude*, Wanchana Buapetch, AND Kamolrat Silamut
Centre for Tropical Diseases, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom; Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

 

ABSTRACT

Malaria pigment is an intracellular inclusion body that appears in blood and tissue specimens on microscopic examination and can help in establishing the diagnosis of malaria. In simple light microscopy, it can be difficult to discern from cellular background and artifacts. It has long been known that if polarized light microscopy is used, malaria pigment can be much easier to distinguish. However, this technique is rarely used because of the need for a relatively costly polarization microscope. We describe a simple and economical technique to convert any standard light microscope suitable for examination of malaria films into a polarization microscope.

Received July 6, 2009. Accepted for publication July 8, 2009.

Financial support: The Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit is supported by the Wellcome Trust of Great Britain. Richard J. Maude is also supported by a British Infection Society Fellowship.

* Address correspondence to Richard J. Maude, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine Mahidol University, Third Floor, 60th Anniversary Chalermprakiat Building, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi District, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. E-mail: richardmaude{at}gmail.com

Authors’ address: Richard J. Maude, Wanchana Buapetch, and Kamolrat Silamut, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Third Floor, 60th Anniversary Chalermprakiat Building, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi District, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.

Reprint requests: Richard J. Maude, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine Mahidol University, Third Floor, 60th Anniversary Chalermprakiat Building, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi District, Bangkok 10400, Thailand, E-mail: richardmaude{at}gmail.com.






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Copyright © 2009 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.