Searching for mycobacteria in tissue sections

ABSTRACT

This is a study of eighty-five lymph node biopsies obtained during the period extending from June 1987 to the end of April 1988. These were diagnosed as caseating granulomatous lymphadenitis consistent with tuberculosis on histotegical basis. Of these eighty-five lymph node biopsies, twenty four were obtained freshly [in normal saline solution]. Cultivation and smears stained by Ziehl-Neelsen and fluorescent staining methods were made from the ground substance of these biopsies, together with a trial of guinea-ping inoculation with infective material obtained from the same substance. Acid - fast and flourescent staines were used on tissue section as well. In this study we confirmed the superiority of fluorescent staning technique using auramine - O dye over both cultivation and acid-fast stains in detecting mycobacteria, whether it was tuberculous or non-tuberculous in origin both on smears and on tissue sections