The Acid-Fast Stain: A Specific and Predictive Test for Mycobacterial Disease
Authors: PATRICK R. MURRAY
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1980)

Brief Reports1 April 1980The Acid-Fast Stain: A Specific and Predictive Test for Mycobacterial DiseasePATRICK R. MURRAY, Ph.D., CARLENE ELMORE, DONALD J. KROGSTAD, M.D.PATRICK R. MURRAY, Ph.D., CARLENE ELMORE, DONALD J. KROGSTAD, M.D.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-92-4-512 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptMicroscopic examination of mycobacterial specimens can rapidly provide clinically useful information without the prolonged delay inherent in culture procedures. However, the reliability of the acid-fast stain is controversial (1-5). In 1975, Boyd and Marr (1) retrospectively reviewed the experience with acid-fast stains at this hospital and reported that 55% of positive results of smears were false positive.Beginning in 1976, we prospectively examined the stain and culture procedures in the Barnes Hospital mycobacteriology laboratory. The results of this analysis, which form the basis of this report, indicate that the acid-fast stain can be a sensitive, specific, and highly predictive test...References1. BOYDMARR JJ. Decreasing reliability of acid-fast smear techniques for detection of tuberculosis. Ann Intern Med. 1975;82:489-92. LinkGoogle Scholar2. MARRAROROGERSROBERTS RET. The acid-fast smear: fact or fiction? J Am Med Technol. 1975; 37:277-9. Google Scholar3. STRUMPFTSANGSCHORKWEG IAMJ. The reliability of gastric smears by auramine-rhodamine staining technique for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1976;114:971-6. MedlineGoogle Scholar4. BURDASLMANOSROSSBANNISKER NJDE. Evaluation of the acid-fast smear. J Clin Microbiol. 1976;4:190-1. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. STRUMPFTSANGSAYRE IAJ. Re-evaluation of sputum staining for the diagnosing of pulmonary tuberculosis. Am Rev. Respir Dis. 1979;119:599-602. MedlineGoogle Scholar6. LENNETTERUNYONKARLSONKUBICAWAYNE EEAGL. Mycobacteria. In: Manual of Clinical Microbiology. 2nd ed. Washington, D.C.: American Society for Microbiology; 1974:148-74. Google Scholar7. KATZ M. A probability graph describing the predictive value of a highly sensitive diagnostic test. N Engl J Med. 1974;291:1115-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. RANSOHOFFFEINSTEIN DA. Problems of spectrum and bias in evaluating the efficacy of diagnostic tests. N Engl J Med. 1978;299:926-30. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Clinical Microbiology Laboratory Barnes Hospital Departments of Pathology and Medicine Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, Missouri PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByDiagnostic Accuracy of Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing in Sputum-Scarce or Smear-Negative Cases with Suspected Pulmonary TuberculosisArtificial Intelligence–Based Screening for Mycobacteria in Whole-Slide Images of Tissue SamplesComparison of sputum induction and bronchoscopy in diagnosis of sputum smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis: a systemic review and meta-analysisNK cells inhibit anti- Mycobacterium bovis BCG T cell responses and aggravate pulmonary inflammation in a direct lung infection mouse modelCombination of molecular assay and clinical evaluation for early confirmation of tuberculosis casesMycobacteriaBacteriological analysis of induced sputum for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in the clinical practice of a general tertiary hospitalHigh Sensitivity and Specificity of Acid-Fast Microscopy for Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in an African Population with a High Prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency VirusComparison of serological responses in two different populations with pulmonary tuberculosisPerformance assessment of the Capilia TB assay and the BD ProbeTec ET system for rapid culture confirmation of Mycobacterium tuberculosisAtypical mycobacterial infection in patients with cystic fibrosis: update on clinical microbiology methodsDiagnosis of Tuberculosis by an Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay for Interferon-γPerformance Assessment of the DR. 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PATTERSON, M.D., DONALD E. CRAVEN, M.D., DAVID A. SCHWARTZ, M.D., EDWARD A. NARDELL, M.D., JEAN KASMER, M.D., JOHN NOBLE, M.D.Nontuberculous mycobacterial infections: Comparison of the fluorescent auramine-o and Ziehl-Neelsen techniques in tissue diagnosisThe role of microscopy in the microbiology laboratoryMacroscopic and Microscopic Evaluation of Respiratory SpecimensRecent Developments in the Diagnosis and Management of Mycobacterial InfectionsMikroskopische und kulturelle Methoden für die Laboratoriumsdiagnose der Tuberkulose. Kurzer historischer ÜberblickPrinciples of Antibiotic TherapyAcid-fast microscopy on polycarbonate membrane filter sputum sediments 1 April 1980Volume 92, Issue 4Page: 512-513KeywordsAcid-fast stainResearch laboratories Issue Published: 1 April 1980 PDF DownloadLoading ...