title: An alternative to India ink stain.
abstract: Accessing India ink in rural Uganda is difficult and costly. An alternative stain was sought to assist in microbiological diagnoses of cryptococcal infections in immunosuppressed patients with meningitis. Mascara proved to be an excellent and cheap alternative.
authors.affiliation: Medical Laboratory Technician, St. Francis Hospital, Buluba, Jinja, Uganda.
authors.forename: Isaac Nicholas
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Ibembe
authors.affiliation: Medical Officer, St. Francis Hospital, Buluba, Jinja, Uganda timrw2020@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Timothy Roger
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Wiggin
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D012424:Rural Population; D014454:Uganda
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; C028433:chinese ink; D002244:Carbon
keywords: Cryptococcus; India ink; mascara