- 2 mg of stool + 1 drop of 0.85% NaCl (NSS) + coverslip - Routine method of stool examination - Can be stained with Nair’s Buffered Methylene Blue (BMB) solution - Micrometry is used to measure cysts and ova (ex. differentiation between cysts of Entamoeba histolytica and E. hartmanni is based entirely on their sizes) - LPO (x100) of entire 22x22 mm coverslip & HPO (x400) of at least 1/3 of the coverslip area of both saline and iodine - OIO (x1000) is not recommended (organism morphology is not clear) - The use of iodine is optional Eggs of helminths are also readily seen. o Rhabditiform larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis are detected in freshly passed stool