Giardia under a microscope

[kcarello]

Hello, Can anyone tell me what power you can usually see giardia under a microscope,,,do you have to use the 1000X objective...oil immersion??

 

[Goodtruant]

I've never looked for them before, but they are very small. I'd say you'd need a 800-1000x+ lens, and oil. Not sure you can 'float' them, so yes, oil.

 

[malcularius]

oil immersion is only to be used on a dry prep slide. can't use it on the wet mount. you can see the oocyst and the trophazoiates on 10x objective but can get a better image of it on 40x. you will only see the oocyst on a flotation as the compounds commonly used will eat away the shell of the trophozoaites. direct smear will allow you to see both.


Edit - I hate it when my dyslexia kicks in. just fixed some spelling errors

 

[kcarello]

Hey, Thanks for the response! I am very new to the microscope and doing my own fecals. Are you telling me that you only use oil immersion on dry prep slides,,,as in you can't use it on something wet?? Like a fecal smear or float,,because they are wet under the cover slip?? Sorry if these are stupid question...but as I said,,,I am just learning...but I am a quick learner..lol...I have learned that giardia is best seen on a direct smear...so just use the 40x objective????
Thank you again

 

[malcularius]

thats right oil immersion for dry prep slides only. and right you are again on the wet mounts. ^_^

you can do a general scan of the slide on the 10 x objective, zooming in on the 40x to see the parasite closer. you can use the 40x to do a scan but it will take you longer to go over a slide. i look at fecals at least 30 times a day working at the vet so i have a good feel for the "bugs" i'm looking at. I flip between the 10x and 40 x when i want to besure something is what i think it is. namely i do that in telling certain parasites apart.

what microscope do you have? we use a binocular scope, it makes looking at the slides much easier than the monocular

good luck and have fun, you'll be an old pro in no time.

 

[kcarello]

I have a binocular microscope also I love it thank you so much for your help I am trying to learn as fast as I can