Blastocystis hominis 3 03.jpg

Taxonomy: Class Blastocystea
Animal: Blastocystis hominis 3 03.jpg
Sites: Gut
Comment:
Blastocystis hominis in stored stool - TEM (cf 3 04 in fresh stool). The organisms found in fresh stool are predominately multivacuolar rather than containing a single central vacuole as seen in cultured cells. A very thick surface coat often up to 5 microns thick covers the cells and bacteria are often seen associated with, or embedded in, this fibrillar matrix. Changes occur the longer the stool is stored as seen in this TEM where it is becoming more cyst-like in response to the external environment. It has a typical nucleus and the cyst wall begins to form below the thick surface coat which is lost later revealing the bare cyst covered by the multi-layered cyst wall. (EM by Deb Stenzel). (see Boreham PFL and Stenzel DJ. 1993. Blastocystis in Humans and Animals. IN Advances in Parasitology. Vol 32. Acad Press. London)

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