Prepare a Wet Mount CAPT Mike Hughey, MC, USNR

First, a Video

Obtain a Specimen Spatula Cotton-tipped Applicator Obtain directly or from inside curve of speculum

Place on Microscope Slide Use very small amount Too much makes the slide too thick and unreadable

Add NaCl and KOH One drop Mix well Two slides vs. one slide?

Add Coverslip Remove excess fluid so the coverslip is stable. Heat the KOH slide?

Microscopic Examination Start with low power Rarely need to go above medium power Focus up and down through the plane of the cells

Yeast Single branch Tangle of threads

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Trichomonas About the same size as a white blood cell Smaller than a vaginal epithelial cell Violent motion

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Bacterial Vaginosis Clue cells Vaginal epithelial cells studded with bacteria Smudged, granular appearance Indistinct borders Clue Cell Normal Vaginal Epithelial Cell

Clue Cells