Blastocystis or Dientamoeba? Morphological similarities when fixed and stained

Abstract

Many laboratories will use a wet preparation of faeces to check for enteric protozoa. The appearance of Blastocystis hominis in these films is straightforward.Dientamoeba can be present as well but itrequires an enormous amount of skill to identify if you have not prepared a fixed and stained smear. The appearance of these two organisms in the iron haematoxylin stain can be very similar.