Quick question for everyone.  We received a cytology slide in xylene 
( left overnight) for Fite stain.  Is this ruined because of the  
extended time in xylene?  I looked in the Carson book and here is  
what is written

M leprae and Nocardia spp. are weakly acid fast and not alcohol fast  
(Chandler) so alcohol must be avoided. So we don't want to receive it  
in Alcohol
Why a short exposure to xylene for removal of paraffin has such an  
adverse effect on the leprosy organism while the prolonged exposure  
to xylene during processing does not have the same effect to xylene  
during processing does not have the same effect is an interesting  
consideration (Stevens).  According to Stevens, once the leprosy  
organism is adequately stained, it will resist decolonization as  
tenaciously as the tubercle bacillus does; instead the problem may be  
one of resistance to uptake of the stain rather than retention.

We are having quite the discussion what is right.  So I need more  
opinions from out there

Thanks,

Jeannette Mitchell, BS, HTL(ASCP), QIHC
R&D Histotechnologist
EP1-119
Fletcher Allen Health Care
Burlington, VT 05401

Phone # 802-847-3096
                        &
              802-847-5362



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