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Luna stain, an improved selective stain for detection of microsporidian spores in histologic sections

Tracy S Peterson1, Jan M Spitsbergen, Stephen W Feist

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, 220 Nash Hall, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA. peterstr@onid.orst.edu

Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
|August 19, 2011
PubMed

Insights

The Luna stain effectively detects microsporidia spores in histologic sections, outperforming traditional methods for most species. This new method aids in diagnosing microsporidian infections in aquatic organisms.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Pathology
  • Microbiology
  • Histology

Background:

  • Microsporidia spores in tissue sections are typically identified using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining.
  • H&E staining often fails to detect individual or scattered microsporidia spores, necessitating improved diagnostic methods.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of the Luna stain for detecting microsporidian spores in histologic sections.
  • To compare the Luna stain's performance against conventional stains like Gram, Fite's acid fast, Giemsa, and H&E.

Main Methods:

  • The Luna stain was tested alongside Gram, Fite's acid fast, Giemsa, and H&E stains.
  • Eight different aquatic microsporidian species were used for comparative staining analysis.
  • Staining performance was assessed based on tinctorial properties and background staining.

Main Results:

  • The Luna stain demonstrated superior detection capabilities for 6 out of 8 microsporidian species.
  • Gram stain proved most effective for the two microsporidia originating from invertebrates.
  • Luna stain successfully visualized spores of Pseudoloma neurophilia, which are often difficult to detect.

Conclusions:

  • The Luna stain offers a valuable improvement for diagnosing microsporidiosis in various aquatic hosts.
  • Selective staining methods are crucial for accurate identification of microsporidia in histologic samples.
  • Further research may explore Luna stain's utility for other microsporidian species and host tissues.

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