Stains Used in Mycology Clinical Microbiology Review 266
STAIN USED FOR OTHER
KOH
Calcofluor white
Lactophenol cotton blue
Gram stain
Acid-fast
India ink
Wright/Giemsa
Dissolves keratin. Makes fungal elements more visible.
Fluorescent stain.
Lactic acid preserves. Phenol kills. Cotton blue stains.
Fungi stain gram pos.
Nocardiais partially acid-fast.
Halos around yeast due to wide capsule. Insensitive. Direct
antigen test preferred.
Useful for Histoplasma.
Skin, hair, nails
Tissues, sputum, body fluids, skin & corneal
scrapings
Microscopic exam of fungal culture
Yeast
Nocardia
CSF sediment if Cryptococcusis suspected
Blood & bone marrow
