Dr. Kassai Tibor - Dr. Murai Éva szerk.: Parasitologia Hungarica 9. (Budapest, 1976)

was 70%. Blood taking methods did not have much influence on the recovery rate of the parasite. In smears they could be found more frequently, in heavier infections, however, the amoeba-like forms of the white cell size moving relatively actively could be detected also in native preparations. They shoved locally dancing movement resembling a punctured rubber ball frequently changing the site of its dent. In these amoeba-like bodies 1 to 8 spindle-shaped elements occurred. In stained blood smears the parasites appeared as spherical, granular formulae, 3-15 u in diameter with purplish-red nucleus and blue cytoplasma. They included 1 to 8 spindle-shaped or rounded independent elements. These formulae multiply by bipartition within the cell resulting in considerable variability in the shape of the parasite (Fig. 1). Free spindle-shaped formulae never occured in the blood plasma. In no case was the parasite found in red or white blood-cells, in some instances, however, one or two parasites could be seen in phagocytic white blood-cells (Fig. 19). Phagocytized forms were mainly found in agonizing fish. Fig. 1: Tentative cycle of development of the unidentifiable extracellular spor. Figs. 2-5: A spindle-shaped structure develops in the parasite. Fig. 6: The inner structure becomes spherical. Fig. 7: The inner structure in the process of division. Figs. 8-10: Protozoa containing 2-4 spindle-shaped structures. (Photo Csaba)