- Charcot-Leyden crystals are formed from the breakdown of eosinophils and may be seen in the stool or sputum of patients with parasitic diseases especially tissue-invading parasites or in people who have allergic diseases such as asthma .
- The crystals are colorless slender and pointed and stain purplish-red in the trichrome stain, as shown in this image.
Charcot Lyden Crystals – Trichrome Stain – x400 magnification
Charcot Lyden Crystals – Trichrome Stain – x1000 magnification
- These crystals can appear in a variety of sizes and only indicate an immune response, but the cause may or may not be a parasitic infection.
- Image below for Sputum with Charcot-Leyden crystals in a patient with bronchial asthma, Note the spear-head shaped crystals representing crystalline material derived from degenerated eosinophils.
Sputum with Charcot-Leyden crystals in a patient with bronchial asthma
- Charcot-Leyden Crystals in wet mount preparation of feces
Charcot-Leyden Crystals in feces
Fruits and Vegetables Crystals
- They are sometimes misidentified as Charcot-Leyden crystals. They are found in the feces of individuals who have ingested fresh or canned pineapple or pineapple juice as well as other fruits (e.g., kiwis, Pineapple) and vegetables (e.g., asparagus).
- Notice that they are very elongated and extremely slender
Fruits Crystals
Kiwi and Pineapple Crystals in Stool – Very Slender
Sources & References: http://parasitewonders.blogspot.co.uk http://en.wikipedia.org http://www.udel.edu http://www.cdc.gov http://usmlepathslides.tumblr.com/ http://ruby.fgcu.edu
