title: Combined histochemical stains in the differential diagnosis of Cryptococcus neoformans.
abstract: Three combinations of histochemical stains were used to study 69 routinely processed tissues containing various "yeast-like" fungal organisms (Cryptococcus neoformans, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Coccidioides immitis, Histoplasma capsulatum, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, and Candida albicans). Fontana-Masson stain combined either with mucicarmine or Alcian blue produced distinctive staining of C. neoformans (Fontana-Masson-positive wall and mucin-positive capsule) that was not identified in other fungi. The Alcian blue stain combined with periodic acid-Schiff reaction also was useful for fungal classification, because the Alcian blue component reacted with only C. neoformans (capsule) and B. dermatitidis (wall) and the periodic acid-Schiff reaction reacted with the cell wall and body of each fungus. We concluded that the combined histochemical stains used in conjunction with morphologic study of hematoxylin and eosin- and Gomori methenamine silver-stained sections are helpful in the differential diagnosis of yeast-like fungal organisms.
authors.affiliation: Section of Surgical Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lazcano
authors.forename: V O
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Speights
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Strickler
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bilbao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Diaz
mesh_terms: D000423:Alcian Blue; D002329:Carmine; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000166:cytology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D003904:Mitosporic Fungi / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology; D010503:Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; C029618:mucicarmine; D002329:Carmine; D000423:Alcian Blue