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Negative image of blastomyces on diff-quik stain
Dima Youssef1, Wael Shams, Charles E Ganote
1James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tenn., USA.
Acta Cytologica
|July 28, 2011
Summary
Diagnosing blastomycosis can be challenging. This study identifies a quick cytological
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Cytopathology
Background:
- Blastomycosis, a serious fungal infection, presents diagnostic challenges due to unreliable serology and antigen tests.
- Traditional culture methods for Blastomyces are time-consuming and complex.
- Cytological identification offers a rapid and cost-effective diagnostic alternative.
Observation:
- A case of blastomycosis in a 79-year-old man revealed a distinct 'negative image' of yeast with wide-base budding on Diff-Quik stained fine needle aspiration smears.
- The yeast capsule exhibited specific staining characteristics with Periodic Acid-Schiff, Congo red, and mucicarmine stains.
Findings:
- The 'negative image' of Blastomyces yeast on Diff-Quik staining is a reliable cytological indicator.
- This characteristic aids in the rapid identification of Blastomyces species.
Implications:
- Utilizing the 'negative image' on Diff-Quik stains can significantly expedite the diagnosis of blastomycosis.
- This cytological finding provides valuable information for timely clinical decision-making and patient management.
- This method serves as an effective triage tool for further confirmatory testing.
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