title: Washing of new microscopic glass slides in dichromate solution does not influence sputum AFB smear results.
abstract: METHODS
  Microscopy centres in Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu, India, implementing DOTS.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To know whether washing new glass slides in dichromate solution is essential for effective sputum acid-fast bacilli microscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two direct smears were prepared from each of 1750 sputum samples. One was made on dichromate solution-cleaned new glass slides and the other was made on unwashed new glass slides. The smears were blinded and examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1750 specimens, 13.5% and 13.08% were positive for AFB using washed and unwashed slides, respectively (P = 0.12). The concordance between these two (including one grade above and one below) was 98.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Washing of new glass slides in dichromate solution is not essential for AFB microscopy.
authors.affiliation: Tuberculosis Research Centre (ICMR), Chennai, India. modeldots@vsnl.com
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Selvakumar
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prabhakaran
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Frieden
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Santha
mesh_terms: D002424:Caustics; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011192:Potassium Dichromate; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D002424:Caustics; D011192:Potassium Dichromate