Special stains and cultures Flashcards
Silver stain
H. pylori, Pneumocystis, Legionella
Tellurite agar
C. diphtheria
M. TB
Lowenstein-Jensen agar
Green metallic sheen on MacConkey agar
E. coli

Cryptococcus india ink prep
Fungi
Sabouraud agar

Partially acid fast oocysts of cryptosporidium
(diarrhea in AIDS)
Thayer-Martin media
Neisseria spp
Bordetella pertussis
Bordet-Gengou (potato) agar
What does Thayer-Martin media contain and why is it used?
Vancomycin (kills G+), polymyxin (kills G- except Neisseria), nystatin (kills fungi)
Isolate N. gonorrhae or meningitidis
Neisseria spp
Thayer-Martin media
MacConkey agar
Lactose-fermenting enterics turn pink
(E. coli, Klebsiella)

Legionella silver stain (Gram - intracellular coccobacillus)
Needs NAD+ and hematin
H. flu
(Factors V and X, respectively)
Lactose-fermenting on MacConkey agar
E. coli, Klebsiella
Sabouraud agar
Fungi
C. diphtheria
Tellurite agar, Loeffler medium
Lowenstein-Jensen agar
M. TB
Loeffer medium
C. diphtheria

TB acid fast
(nubs = TB; long = Nocardia)

P. falciparum Giemsa stain
Requires cysteine and iron
Legionella
(provided on charcoal yeast extract)

Borrelia Giemsa
(spirochete! Lyme disease)
What does PAS stain?
Glycogen and mucopolysaccharides






