Negative staining technique of Heine is an easy, inexpensive, and rapid way of screening for coccidian parasites of the intestinal tract. But its use as a routine technique for screening of Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, and Cystoisospora is restricted due to its sensitivity being lower than the gold standard method of modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining. This paper emphasises the modification of original Heine staining technique which has been attempted in order to increase the sensitivity and detection of oocysts of Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, and Cystoisospora. Modified Heine staining technique using malachite green is a practical, safe, and sensitive method of detecting oocysts in stool specimens. While the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique is still considered the gold standard for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp., modified negative staining technique of Heine using malachite green stain should be considered as the screening technique of first choice.

Colloidal solution of nano silver particles (AgNPs) have been prepared using carboxymethyl cellulose as the stabilizing agent and dextrose as the reducing agent. It is considered bio-friendly, as all ingredients at much higher concentrations are used on eye as medicine. AgNPs thus generated are triangular with 9.5 nm size. MIC values of AgNPs and equivalent ionic silver against different multi-drug resistant strain bacteria and yeast are determined by microdilution method. Biological parameters for nano conversion are indicated by 128-256-fold higher sensitivity. Selective range synergisms for 1/4th MIC AgNPs with battery of antimicrobial agents are indicated by automated susceptibility testing device, keeping a negative control. Much lower MICs for different resistant antibiotics in combination with AgNPs are noted for all test organisms. This indicates scope for using a tolerable concentration of nanoantimicrobials either alone or in combination with an empirically chosen antibiotic for managing surface infections of eye or skin.

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