Chapter 4 is the most important of this learning software. It allows you to improve and test your diagnostic skills by solving diagnostic exercises using a virtual microscope. However, for several reasons, these exercises cannot replace working with a real microscope: the maintenance and handling of a real microscope cannot be simulated! In addition there is an important limitation since only a two-dimensional picture can be screened. It is not always possible to see all characteristic criteria, e.g. the number of nuclei in an amoeba, in one plane. For convenience you can zoom the picture with the bar on the right-hand side. With a real microscope you do not have this feature and you have to select the magnification by choosing appropriate eyepieces and lenses.

Technical help:

You can choose a group of parasites from the navigation tree (e.g. protozoa / malaria or helminth / nematodes). Under “images” you then select a parasite from the pull-down menu. Your job is to find this parasite on the virtual slide. The magnification is your choice. To zoom the picture you move the bar on the right side of the microscope. If you would like to check whether your identification is correct then you press “show labels” under “labels”. There is a hidden legend (giving more information) which you get by clicking on the label.

Measuring device (microscopic ruler)
Under “view” you can centre the slide (click “centre view”) or get a measuring device (click “cross hairs”). Place the cross hair where you want to start to measure by moving the slide and click the upper small box (“start position”). Then you move the slide and place the cross hair at the end of the distance you would like to measure and click the second small box (“end position”). The distance between the two points will then be displayed.