I would appreciate it if any of the readers can supply me with a method for
demonstrating Cowdria ruminantium (Heartwater) in Bont ticks (Amblyomma
hebraeum) using light microscopy.
I could only find two references in our libary at the laboraory and both
gave the same method. In this method you must remove the midgut section of
the tick and then treat it as a normal histological specimen. After this you
stain the section with "Mallory's phoxine-methylene blue" which will then
stain the organism blue and the back ground red.
I could until now however not find the method for the preparation of this
stain, and since I have never done this before I would only be guesing
which part of the tick to remove as ticks are not my normal field of work.
Is there any other methods I could use, and if not please post a reference
where I can find the method for preparing the above mentioned stain and
maybe a more detailed description of the whole procedure.
The only two references I could find in our laboratory's libary is the
following:
Kocan, K.M., et al, 1987. Ultrastructural features of Cowdria ruminantium in
midgut epithelial cells and salivary glands of nymphal Amblyomma hebraeum.
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 54, 87-93 (1987)
Bezuidenhout, J.D., 1984. Demonstration of Cowdria ruminantium in Amblyomma
hebraeum by fluorescent antibody techniques, light and electron microscopy.
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 51, 213-215 (1984)
Replies can be made to this group or to my Email.
Thank you in advance
Francois Dreyer
Email <francois at vetlab8.agric.za>
