Abstract
Hagemann 1 reported the superiority of a fluorescence method using berberine sulfate stain for demonstrating leprosy bacilli in nasal mucus and thick blood smears. The same year he 2 proposed an auramin-fluorescence technic for the routine identification of acid-fast fast bacteria, especially tubercle bacilli. The suitability of this method for cultures of Myco. leprae has been confirmed by Küster 3 and for leproma smears by Kline and Leach. 4
Recently one of us (H.J.H.) has investigated the separation and concentration of acid-fast organisms from the tissues of leprosy patients. To cryochemed spleen† distilled water was added and direct impression smears were made from a piece of the tissue. One set of smears was stained with auramin O and examined according to the fluorescence procedure described by Richards and Miller. 5
A representative field is shown in the accompanying photomicrographs. The faint material in the background is non-acid-fast splenic cellular substance. The acid-fast bacilli have a characteristic granular appearance.
Although no accurate comparison was made with Ziehl-Neelsen stained smears, the fluorescence technic was clearly superior for demonstrating globi and leprosy bacilli. It is of interest to note that Richards, Kline and Leach 6 believed more tubercle bacilli could be demonstrated in the same microscopic fields by fluorescence than by the conventional method.
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