Hi Everyone!

Let my add my $0.02 worth.

In my lab we routinely run IHC using automation, and doing a handful of
slides more or less won't make much difference in terms of tech time.  We
don't have any automation for specials and we're stretched pretty thin some
days.  If someone has to make up reagents and do a special for H. pylori, we
really feel that with all things considered, the immuno is the easiest,
cheapest to run (if you look at the cost per test vs. what we charge per
test) and the most sensitive.  For us that's a win/win/win situation!

Bonnie Whitaker
Technical Director, Histology Laboratory
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
UT Med School
6431 Fannin
MSB 2.231
Houston, TX  77030
713-500-6792


-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-admin@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-admin@lists.utsouthwestern.edu]On Behalf Of LaFriniere,
Mike
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 9:30 AM
To: 'dskaggs@mindspring.com'; HistoNet Server
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Staining for Helicobacter

Hi Don,

There are many test for Helicobacter, the two you mentioned as well as the
alcian yellow, Stiener, and I'm sure others. However, I had read many people
demonstrating higher sensitivity using immunohistochemistry methods with for
identification of Helicobacter. Our laboratory wanted to prove this theory.
After staining over 100 GI biopsies in our laboratory with Giemsa, Stiener
and Immunohistochemistry simultaneously to demonstrate which would be best
for the patients we diagnose, our results demonstrated by a far margin that
the immunohistochemistry was the method demonstrating the highest
sensitivity. In short we were definitely missing staining of Helicobacter
using non immunohistochemistry methods. We also found that the antibody
through Cell Marque best fit our expectations. One of my concerns was this
is definitely a higher cost of staining, however if it was my biopsy or one
of my family members, I would want the best method availble to confirm a
diagnosis, and not having a disease process possibly missed by low cost less
sensitive testing methods.

Regards,

Michael LaFriniere PA, HT(ASCP)
NSH Region III Director
Pathology Manager
Memorial Hospital
Chattanooga TN


-----Original Message-----
From: Don Skaggs [mailto:dskaggs@mindspring.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 9:28 AM
To: HistoNet Server
Subject: [Histonet] Staining for Helicobacter


Hi, Histonetters! I'm Don Skaggs.  You might remember me from such
Histology News articles as "How to Not Get Asphyxiated" and "Honey, I
Shrunk the Biopsy".

Anyway, I have another question from a lab and wanted to give an
intelligent answer, so I thought I'd ask you guys:  They are looking for
a stain for Helicobacter; they have tried a Wright-Giemsa, a Diff-Quick
(Isn't that sort of the same thing?) and something else called a "Little
Quicker", but to no avail.  Any Ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Don Skaggs
Histology News
A Newsletter of Histology Information, Innovations and Shameless Promotion


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