So who is right?

The Tzanck Smear (Re:
http://www.bumc.bu.edu/www/busm/cme/modules/comderm/cddpvi.htm#tzanck)


*	Choose an intact fresh vesicle and gently clean with an alcohol
swab.  
*	Gently dissect the roof of the blister with a #15 blade. 
*	Scrape the base of the vesicle with the #15 blade. 
*	Gently smear the specimen onto the microscope slide and allow to air
dry for several minutes. 
*	Stain with Giemsa, Wrights, or Toluidine blue for 60 seconds
followed by a gentle rinsing with tap water for 15 seconds. 
*	Gently blot or air dry. 
*	Place 1 drop of mineral oil onto the slide followed by a coverslip. 
*	Examine the slide under 40x for the presence of multinucleated giant
cells. 
	
*	Acantholytic cells, which are rounded epidermal cells with large
nuclei and scant cytoplasm may be seen on a Tzanck smear. This finding
suggests pemphigus vulgaris, an autoimmune blistering disorder. A
confirmatory biopsy is necessary.

Helpful Hints for the Tzanck Smear 
*	Choose a fresh, representative vesicle. Pustules and crusted
erosions offer much lower yield. 
*	Scrape the BASE of the lesion. The blister roof and blister fluid
will not contain any of the multinucleated giant cells. 
*	Look for large, multinucleated giant cells. 

> ----------
> From: 	Horn, Hazel V
> Sent: 	Wednesday, November 28, 2001 11:50 AM
> To: 	'George, Cheryl'; histonet@pathology.swmed.edu; 'Toy Bridgman'
> Subject: 	RE: Tzanck Smears
> 
> This is not correct.   It is a Tzanck stain.
> Hazel
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:	George, Cheryl [SMTP:CGerorge@Elliot-HS.org]
> > Sent:	Wednesday, November 28, 2001 10:27 AM
> > To:	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu; 'Toy Bridgman'
> > Subject:	RE: Tzanck Smears
> > 
> > A Tzanck smear is a type of smear, not a stain.  We stain ours with a
> > regular Pap stain and occasionally with a diff quik.
> > 
> > Cheryl
> > 
> > > ----------
> > > From: 	Toy Bridgman[SMTP:tbridgma@uhsinc.com]
> > > Sent: 	Wednesday, November 28, 2001 11:13 AM
> > > To: 	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> > > Subject: 	Tzanck Smears
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Has anyone heard of Tzanck Smears?  Does it have another name?  Does
> > > anyone have
> > > a  protocol for this stain?  Any help is much appreciated.  Thanks
> > > 
> > > Toy Bridgman
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> 
>