Case #294 – February, 2011

A 45-year-old woman, originally from Africa, presented to her primary care provider with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, weight loss and gastritis. The symptoms occurred approximately three months post kidney transplant. Stool was collected in formalin and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for routine ova-and-parasite examination. A wet mount was made from the formalin-preserved stool and observed microscopically by the attending pathologist. Images were captured at 400x magnification and sent to the DPDx Team for diagnostic assistance. Figures A and B show two of the images received for evaluation. Size was not included in the initial inquiry. What is your diagnosis? Based on what criteria?

This case and images were kindly provided by Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA.

Images presented in the DPDx case studies are from specimens submitted for diagnosis or archiving. On rare occasions, clinical histories given may be partly fictitious.