BAL - Trichomonas tenax (MGG staining X500 magnification)

France, Basset Didier

Close to T. vaginalis, but smaller (6 to 8 μm), it is found in the oral cavity and in the airways. Usually, fellow border but in an immunocompromised patient, it can be responsible for periodontitis and gingivitis. In this picture, we notice 2 of the 4 flagella emerging from a very basophilic cell with an almond shape polar nucleus. Examination of the wet mount of the BAL make possible to individualize it, with its characteristic movement.