title: The detection of positive blood cultures in children using the acridine orange, gram, and methylene blue stains.
abstract: The efficacy of the acridine orange (AO), gram (G), and methylene blue (MB) microscopic procedures was analyzed using positive blood cultures monitored by a radiometric procedure (Bactec) in children. Sixty-eight positive cultures included the following isolates: Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida spp., and seven other pathogens. The MB stain yielded the highest detection rate, 99%, in comparison with 94 and 93% for the AO and G stains, respectively. Since the MB stain yielded comparable results to the AO procedure with no requirement for a fluorescent microscope, the former method is recommended for confirming the presence and initial characterization of microorganisms in blood cultures monitored by Bactec from children.
mesh_terms: D000165:Acridine Orange; D000293:Adolescent; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008751:Methylene Blue; D018805:Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D000165:Acridine Orange; D008751:Methylene Blue