[Histonet] RE: Churukian Silver stain for Fungus

[Terri Braud]

I beg to differ.  I think you are confusing stains. I am not talking
about using a Periodic Acid Schiff's stain (PAS) to stain fungus.  I am
referring to the Churukian Microwave Ammoniacal Silver stain for fungus.
It oxidizes with Periodic Acid and the Silver solution is similar to
what is used for most Reticulum stains. It stains the exact same
organisms as a Grocott's Methenamine Silver (GMS), just without staining
the elastic fibers. Our pneumocystis stains using the Churukian
Ammoniacal Silver stain are just beautiful.
This method has been taught at NSH workshops and has been widely used in
published literature.  As soon as I can figure out how to post pictures,
I will send some pictures of a a pneumocystis control and an aspergillus
control stained with the Churukian method.

Terri L. Braud, HT(ASCP)
Anatomic Pathology Supervisor
Holy Redeemer Hospital Laboratory
1648 Huntingdon Pike
Meadowbrook, PA 19046
Ph: 215-938-3676
Fax: 215-938-3874


-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Henwood (SCHN) [mailto:tony.henwood <@t> health.nsw.gov.au] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2014 7:20 PM
To: Terri Braud; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: RE: Acid Clean Glassware

No,
Using Periodic acid instead of chromic acid just gives you a PASM. 
Pseudo-fungi are PAS Positive but classic GMS (using chromic acid)
negative.
The literature is quite confusing on pseudo-fungi. Some say that they
are GMS positive whereas other claim they are GMS negative. 
My own experience is that they are GMS (using chromic acid) negative. 
It is possible that our pathologists aren't aware that the "GMS" that
their lab does might be using Periodic acid instead of Chromic acid. 
Commercial kits (eg Sigma and Richard-Allan) use periodic acid instead
of chromic acid.
The literature often does not report the exact GMS used which makes
clear understanding of the histochemical results difficult.

Pneumocystis will not be easy to see unless chromic acid is used (the
mucin stains strongly PAS (and hence PASM) positive obscuring the small
microorganisms).

Using PAS, Old fungi, Mucor, Actinomyces and Nocordia do not stain well
whereas they stain quite well with GMS.


Regards
Tony Henwood JP, MSc, BAppSc, GradDipSysAnalys, CT(ASC), FFSc(RCPA)
Laboratory Manager & Senior Scientist, the Children's Hospital at
Westmead Adjunct Fellow, School of Medicine, University of Western
Sydney
Tel: 612 9845 3306
Fax: 612 9845 3318
Pathology Department
the children's hospital at westmead
Cnr Hawkesbury Road and Hainsworth Street, Westmead Locked Bag 4001,
Westmead NSW 2145, AUSTRALIA 

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Terri
Braud
Sent: Thursday, 5 June 2014 5:58 AM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] RE: Acid Clean Glassware

Chromic acid does a nifty job of removing metal deposits on glassware,
but so do many commercial lab detergents.
Chromic acid is the oxidizer for the fungus in the GMS stain.  Go one
better and get rid of Chromic Acid out of your lab.  It is probably one
of the more toxic / nasty chemicals in your department.  Instead, try
Churukian's Ammoniacal Silver for Fungus in the microwave.  It is a much
simpler, faster, prettier stain.  It uses Periodic Acid as the oxidizer
and does not stain the elastic fibers like a regular GMS.  Both you and
your pathologists will love it, I promise.

Terri L. Braud, HT(ASCP)
Anatomic Pathology Supervisor
Holy Redeemer Hospital Laboratory
1648 Huntingdon Pike
Meadowbrook, PA 19046
Ph: 215-938-3676
Fax: 215-938-3874
Today's Topics:

   1. Acid Cleaned glassware (Abbott, Tanya)
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