Chronic diarrhea associated with protozoan parasites is a common feature observed in immunocompromised patients; two common parasites detected in these patients are Cryptosporidium sp. and microsporidia.  Your laboratory has been designated as the facility to screen patients from several local hospitals for these two parasites.  Which of the following laboratory protocols would you choose to accomplish this task most efficiently?

(a) Collect specimens in 10% formalin and PVA fixative; perform a trichrome stain and FEA (formalin-ethyl acetate concentration) in the formalin fixed sample; examine the trichrome slide and wet mount slide made from the concentrated sample.
(b) Collect specimens in 10% formalin and PVA fixative; perform a trichrome stain, FEA, and then a modified Kinyoun's acid-fast stain; examine the trichrome slide and acid-fast slide made from the FEA concentration sample.
(c) Collect specimens in 10% formalin; perform a FEA, modified Kinyoun's acid-fast stain, and chromotrope 2R (Weber) stain; examine the acid-fast slide and the chromotrope 2R slide.
(d) Collect specimens in PVA fixative; perform a modified Kinyoun's acid-fast stain and chromotrope 2R (Weber) stain; examine the acid-fast slide and the chromotrope 2R slide.