Detect fungi, yeasts, Microsporidium, Acanthamoeba, and Pneumocystis using BactiDrop™ Calcofluor White fluorescent stain.
Detect fungi, yeasts, Microsporidia, Acanthamoeba, and Pneumocystis carinii using Thermo Scientific™ Remel™ BactiDrop™ Calcofluor White fluorescent stain. In 1961, Darken observed the uptake of calcofluor white by actively growing cultures of yeast and higher fungi1. Hageage and Harrington used calcofluor white (CFW) to demonstrate hyphae and yeasts in clinical specimens2. Baselski and Robison reported the use of CFW to detect P. carinii cysts3. Wilhelmus et al. demonstrated the fluorescence of Acanthamoeba keratitis4. Weber et al. reported CFW also stains microsporidia spores5.
Calcofluor White is a rapid, non-specific, fluorochrome stain used in microscopic detection of fungi, yeasts, Acanthamoeba cysts, microsporidia, and Pneumocystis carinii in clinical specimens. Recently calcofluor white has been used to detect fungi in direct preparations and in deparaffinized tissue sections6,7. CFW is a chemofluorescent optical brightening agent that has the ability to bind with cellulose and chitin. This compound delineates the cell walls of cellulose containing organisms upon excitation with longwave ultraviolet light2.Ready-to-use: Liquid reagentEasy to interpret:Fungal elements, Yeast - Bright apple green fluorescence with typical morphologyAcanthamoeba cysts - Cysts (10-25 μm) appear corrugated and doublewalled with bright apple-green fluorescence and bright orange cytoplasm.Microsporidia - Apple-green fluorescence, intestinal microsporidia spores range in size from 0.9-1.5 μm to 1.2-2.0 μm, cell wall is brightened but staining is not specific.Pneumocystis carinii - Brilliant apple-green fluorescence, cysts are 5-8 μm in diameter and contain up to 8 crescent or pleomorphic shaped sporozoites, cell wall and double parenthesis structures inside the cysts stain intensely.Bacteria - Weak to no fluorescence, typical coccoid or bacillary shapeThis reagent contains calcofluor white (1g/1000mL) as the fluorescent stain. Evans blue dye is added to minimise background material. Before staining with CFW, potassium hydroxide 10% (REF R21524) is used as a clearing agent to dissolve tissue cells.Not all products are available for sale in all territories. Please inquire.Remel™ and Oxoid™ products are now part of the Thermo Scientific brand.
