A novel application of Calcofluor White staining for high-contrast visualisation of demodex folliculorum and cylindrical dandruff under UV fluorescence microscopy

Fig. 1: High-definition ultraviolet fluorescence micrograph of Demodex folliculorum attached to a human eyelash with associated cylindrical dandruff, following Calcofluor White staining under ultraviolet illumination. Full size image Calcofluor White selectively binds to chitin-rich structures within the mite’s cuticle, generating intense blue-white fluorescence that delineates the mite body, opisthosoma, and articulated appendages with high contrast against the dark background. The eyelash shaft traverses the field as a linear structure. Surrounding keratinised debris and cylindrical dandruff deposits—the hallmark collarettes of Demodex blepharitis—are also highlighted, revealing the broader microenvironment of infestation. A discrete, intensely fluorescent ovoid structure adjacent to the mite is consistent with an egg or keratinous concretion. (Figure 1) Calcofluor White enables simultaneous visualisation of parasite morphology and the periocular microenvironment in a single preparation.