[Histonet] RE: Churukian Silver stain for Fungus

[Troutman, Kenneth A]

In my experience, periodic acid will not help you demonstrate histoplasma.

Chromic acid should be the preferred oxidizer if histoplasmosis is suspected.  I have had good results with periodic acid for pneumocystis and aspergillus, but not histoplasma.

Ashley Troutman BS, MBA, HT(ASCP)QIHC
Supervisor-Translational Pathology Shared Resource
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
S-1310 Medical Center North
1161 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN  37232


Message: 11

Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 09:29:29 -0400

From: "Terri  Braud" <tbraud <@t> holyredeemer.com<mailto:tbraud <@t> holyredeemer.com>>

Subject: [Histonet] RE: Churukian Silver stain for Fungus

To: "Tony Henwood (SCHN)" <tony.henwood <@t> health.nsw.gov.au<mailto:tony.henwood <@t> health.nsw.gov.au>>,

                <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu<mailto:histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>>

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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<mailto: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>

[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<mailto: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

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