Patent ID: 7157242

Claim:
A method for determining the presence or absence of a chitin-containing microorganism in a sample suspected of containing a chitin-containing microorganism, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sample suspected of containing a chitin-containing microorganism to be analyzed; treating the sample with 3-hydroxy-4((2-sulfo-4-((-4-sulfophenyl(azo)phenyl)azo) 2,7 naphthalenedisulfonic acid tetrasodium salt stain to stain the chitin of the chitin-containing microorganism; treating the sample with 1-Ethyl-2-[3-(1-ethylnaphtho[1,2-d]thiazolin-2-ylidene)-2-methylpropenyl]naphto[1,2-d]thiazolium bromide dye, said dye binding to the 3-hydroxy-4((2-sulfo-4-((-4-sulfophenyl(azo)phenyl)azo)2,7 naphthalenedisulfonic acid tetrasodium salt stain to form a light-stable complex; and examining the sample with a light microscope to identify the presence of chitin-containing microorganisms in the sample, wherein the stained chitin-containing microorganisms are observable in the light microscope.