Wet Mount

Question 1

Wet Mount

Answer 1

A wet mount is a slide procedure performed in the laboratory in which you examine material collected from a sample. A wet mount is used to view organisms for motility, morphological characteristics and identification. Specifically, it is used for the identification of Trichomonas vaginalis, fungal organisms, and helminths and protozoa.

Question 2

Preparing a Wet Mount

Answer 2

1. Using a sterile dropper, gently mix and
   remove some of the specimen from the tube
   and place one drop (10µL) on a clean
   microscope slide with the patient’s
   identification number/name.
2. Immediately put a coverslip over the sample
   for examination. A microscopic review of the
   slide should be performed as soon as
   possible to confirm the presence or absence
   of Trichomonads.
3. Focus with low power (10X), low light.
4. Scan the entire slide. Scan the slide using an “S” shaped or “snake” shaped viewing pattern.
5. Read at least 10 fields.
6. Identify objects with high power (40X).
7. Record results based on your laboratory’s
   criteria.

Question 3

Trichomonas vaginalis

Answer 3

Trichomonas is seen in vaginal samples of 2–3% of the general female population.
Trichomonads are protozoans, not bacteria, which cause Trichomonas vagnalis.
Trichomonads are motile pear-shaped organisms, approximately 10–20 µm in size.
It is larger than a white blood cell (measuring 7–18 µm) and smaller than an average sized epithelial cell.
It contains granular cytoplasm and a single nucleus.

Question 4

Trichomonas vaginalis Cont.

Answer 4

In fresh specimens, Trichomonads move by their whipping flagella and/or undulating membrane. Another structure called the axostyle helps the organism attach to the vaginal wall.

Rounding up of Trichomonads is seen as the protozoan is slowly dying. It is important to read the slide as soon as possible or within 15 minutes of preparation.

As the Trichomonads round up, you have a greater chance of confusing them with white blood cells (WBC’s).

Question 5

Flagella

Answer 5

Flagella are the whip–like extensions.

Question 6

Undulating Membrane

Answer 6

A vibratile cytoplasmic membrane or a lateral expansion of the plasma membrane in some flagellates that is usually associated with a flagellum.

Question 7

Squamous Epithelial Cell

Answer 7

A large polyhedral cell with a condensed nucleus

Question 8

Clue Cells

Answer 8

An irregular bordered squamous epithelial cell with at least 75% of the cell margin covered by bacteria.

Epithelial cells with their nucleus and a grainy appearance to their edges. If you look a little closer, the grainy appearance is in fact bacteria that have attached themselves to the cell surface.

Question 9

White Blood Cells/Red Blood Cells

Answer 9

White blood cells (WBCs) can also be found in vaginal material. As in any site of the body with a large number of WBCs, this is an indication of infection.

Besides WBCs, you may also see a few red blood cells (RBCs) which may indicate bleeding during the collection process.

Question 10

Budding Yeasts

Answer 10

Another organism possibly seen in vaginal secretions is budding yeast or yeast with pseudohyphae.

When yeast multiply by budding but the bud does not break off from one another, they create elongated filament–like forms called pseudohyphae.

When yeast are responsible for tissue invasion, it is common to see the filamentous form, Candida albicans pseudohyphae yeast, in addition to the budding yeast form

Question 11

Hyphae

Answer 11

Branched filaments with a uniform diameter that form a network called the mycelium

Question 12

Pseudohyphae

Answer 12

Pseudohyphae, are a chain of easily disrupted fungal cells without distinguishable septa at the junction of budding cells.