Impression Smear Agreement with Acetate Tape Preparation for Cytologic Sampling

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Dermatology
• Diagnostic Cytology

Background:

• Cutaneous cytology is crucial for diagnosing skin infections and inflammation.
• Limited research compares common clinical sampling techniques for veterinary dermatology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the detection of microorganisms and neutrophils using impression smears versus acetate tape preparations.
• To assess agreement between two acetate tape staining methods.

Main Methods:

• Thirty superficial pyoderma lesions were sampled using both impression smears and acetate tape.
• Acetate tape preparations were stained with modified Romanowsky stains (solutions 2&3 or solution 3 alone).
• Impression smears were stained conventionally; all samples were evaluated semi-quantitatively for bacteria, yeast, and neutrophils.

Main Results:

• Impression smears detected significantly more neutrophils compared to acetate tape.
• Agreement between impression smears and acetate tape was lowest for neutrophils.
• Both acetate tape staining methods demonstrated high agreement for yeast detection.
• No significant difference was found in the detection of bacteria between sampling techniques or staining methods.

Conclusions:

• Impression smears may be superior for detecting neutrophils in pyoderma.
• Acetate tape preparations offer a reliable and consistent method for yeast detection.
• Both techniques are effective for bacterial detection in superficial pyoderma.