title: UV-fixed-thick-blotch preparation improves sensitivity of auramine staining.
abstract: We describe here a very simple modification of the auramine staining procedure based on preparation of a UV-fixed thick blotch which allowed us to reach an overall sensitivity of 0.82 (592 acid-fast bacillus [AFB]-positive specimens/722 initial respiratory specimens with positive mycobacterial culture) and sensitivities of 0.93 (526 AFB-positive specimens/564 culture-positive specimens) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and 0.42 (66 AFB-positive specimens/158 culture-positive specimens) for nontuberculous mycobacteria.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Laboratory, Biotechnology Clinic Management Unit, Torrecardenas Hospital Complex, Almería, Spain.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cejudo-García
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Munoz-Davila
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Martinez-Lirola
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D001576:Benzophenoneidum / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D001576:Benzophenoneidum