title: [Staining of mycobacteria without pre-heating in a modification of the Ziehl-Neelsen method].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the use of a new solution for the staining of mycobacteria without pre-heating for microscopic examinations in visible light. To verify the possibilities of the method in everyday practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the diagnostic staining of mycobacteria we used a modification of the Ziehl-Neelsen method without pre-heating. The carbolfuchsin solution contained a higher proportion of basic fuchsin, alcohol and phenol than in the original method; all other solutions used in this method remained unchanged. Efficacy was verified on 8 mycobacterial strains by a comparison with the original procedure that uses pre-heating, as well as with the fluorescence method. 310 microscopic specimens from clinical samples were compared with the fluorescence method, 2 500 smears from cultures were compared with the original staining method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of mycobacteria staining with a modification of the Ziehl-Neelsen method without pre-heating were similar as those obtained by staining with the original method. The sensitivity of the new method was slightly lower than fluorescence (89 % and 92 %), but its specificity was higher (82 % and 65 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method can be used for the staining of mycobacteria in everyday practice. Its efficacy was verified on microscopic specimens from clinical samples and on smears from cultures.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health Ostrava, Czech Republic. katerina.bakhtary@seznam.cz
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bakhtary
mesh_terms: D004396:Coloring Agents; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification*; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C006898:carbol-fuchsin solution