2017 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 21-24
Microscopic examination of fixed smear samples are useful in the diagnosis of oral candidiasis as yeast and hyphal morphotypes can be differentiated. While the utility of examination of fixed smears using a fluorescent stain is recognized, this method requires the use of a fluorescence microscope.
Up to now, wide spread use of conventional fluorescent microscopes have been limited as it requires the use of high pressure mercury vapor lamps which are costly with a short life, a dark room and a high voltage supply.
In order to overcome these disadvantages, a LED long-life light source for epi-fluorescence microscopy has been developed. With the mounting of a LED module (LuminTM, LW Scientific, Lawrenceville, GA, USA) converting our bright-field microscope for both bright field and epi-fluorescence microscopy, hyphae were clearly observed after fluorescence staining (Fungiflora Y (Biomate, Tokyo, Japan). The methodology used and results are described.
