Fluorescent antibody and flagella stains for rapid detection of bacteria at periodontally healthy and diseased sites.

Two rapid methods of identifying bacteria associated with periodontal disease were investigated to determine their diagnostic usefulness in longitudinal or epidemiologic studies. Three nonmotile organisms were identified by fluorescent antibody stains (FA) while percentages of motile bacteria were assessed by counting all spirochetes, flagellated and nonflagellated organisms stained with a simplified silver-plating stain for flagella. Relationships between disease activity and these bacteria from subgingival plaque samples taken at 18 individual sites (12 diseased, 6 healthy) were determined by correlating the quantity of detectable bacteria with the Gingival Index (GI), Plaque Index (PLI) and probing depth (PD).

Misdiagnosis caused by fungal contaminant in a histological stain solution.

Silver stains on tissue and cytology specimens are important in the evaluation of patients with suspected fungal infections. Care must be taken, however, to prevent misinterpretation of contamination artifacts. Two cases presenting such a problem are reported.

Comparison of media for detection of fungi on spacecraft.

Five media, including Trypticase soy agar (TSA; BBL) pour plates, spread plates of TSA, Mycophil agar with chloromycetin, Mycophil agar with chloromycetin and Actidione, and cornmeal agar with chloromycetin were quantitatively and qualitatively compared for the detection of fungi on spacecraft. Cornmeal agar with chloromycetin yielded the highest number of fungal colonies, although not always significantly higher than Mycophil agar with chloromycetin or TSA spread plates. Cornmeal agar with chloromycetin also gave the best qualitative representation of fungi on the spacecraft, recovering 68% of the genera found from all media.