title: [Comparison of the quick Gram stain method to the B&M modified and favor methods].
abstract: The Gram stain is an established method for bacterial identification, but the time needed to carry out this stain is 2-3 min. We attempted to shorten this time and stained a total of 70 clinical specimens isolated from using the Bartholomew & Mittwer (B&M) modified or Favor methods with a 3 s duration for washing and staining steps. Results were plotted and analyzed using a Hue Saturation Intensity (HSI) model. The range based on a plot of the two methods with the HSI model was presented as a reference interval. Our results indicated that 100% (35/35) of strains were Gram positive and 97.1% (34/35) were Gram negative for the quick B&M modified method. In the quick Favor method, 80.0% (28/35) were Gram positive and 68.6% (24/35) of strains were Gram negative. We propose that the quick B&M modified method is equivalent to the standard Gram staining method and is superior to the quick Favor method.
authors.affiliation: Department of International Health, Kobe University, Japan. osawak@kobe-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Osawa
authors.forename: Nobumasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maruo
mesh_terms: D005840:Gentian Violet; D010619:Phenazines; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: C035863:Gram's stain; D010619:Phenazines; D005840:Gentian Violet