Pathogenic free-living amebae. Immunocytologic demonstration and species identification.

This report describes methods for preparation, immunologic marking, and staining of amebae in formalin-fixed brain tissue, and in exudates, discharges and body fluids. The suggested procedures provide slide preparations of unknown specimens together with known amebae from cultures as controls, all on a single slide for each antiserum. This allows for cytologic studies of host cells, morphology of the amebae present, and specific immune marking of the amebae by use of immune sera and protein A Staphylococcus. Such preparations may also be used for immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence. The need for the utilization of direct microscopic examination by the methods suggested here, or comparable ones, is discussed.