Warthin–Starry stain

Helicobacter pylori colonized on the surface of regenerative epithelium, stained with the Warthin-Starry method.
Clusters of bacteria (arrow) shown on Warthin–Starry stain.

The Warthin–Starry stain (WS) is a silver nitrate-based staining method (a silver stain) used in histology. It was first introduced in 1920 by American pathologists Aldred Scott Warthin (1866-1931) and Allen Chronister Starry (1890-1973), for the detection of spirochetes.[1][2] It has been considered the best stain for detection of spirochetes,[3] and is also used to stain Helicobacter pylori, Lawsonia intracellularis,[4] Microsporidia,[5][6] and particulates.[7] It is also important for confirmation of bartonella henselae, a causative organism in Cat Scratch Disease.

WS stains organisms dark brown to black, and the background light golden brown/golden yellow.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Warthin-Starry stain". Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary. Retrieved 2009-09-04.
  2. ↑ Warthin AS, Chronister AC (1920). "A more rapid and improved method of demonstrating spirochetes in tissues (Warthin and Starry’s cover-glass method)". American Journal of Syphilis 4: 97–103.
  3. ↑ "Special Stains in Histology". The Internet Pathology Laboratory. University of Utah Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library. [n.d.] Retrieved 2009-09-04. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ↑ Huerta, B.; Arenas, A.; Carrasco, L.; Maldonado, A.; Tarradas, C.; Carbonero, A.; Perea, A. (Aug 2003). "Comparison of diagnostic techniques for porcine proliferative enteropathy (Lawsonia intracellularis infection)". Journal of comparative pathology 129 (2–3): 179–185. doi:10.1016/S0021-9975(03)00030-6. ISSN 0021-9975. PMID 12921724.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Field, As; Marriott, Dj; Hing, Mc (1993). "The Warthin-Starry stain in the diagnosis of small intestinal microsporidiosis in HIV-infected patients" (Free full text). Folia parasitologica 40 (4): 261–6. ISSN 0015-5683. PMID 7516907.
  6. ↑ Słodkowicz-Kowalska, A (2004). "Laboratory diagnostics of human microsporidiosis" (Free full text). Wiadomosci parazytologiczne 50 (4): 679–89. ISSN 0043-5163. PMID 16862802.
  7. ↑ Liu, H. (2008). "Warthin-starry Silver Method Showing Particulate Matter in Macrophage1". Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 21: 85–83. doi:10.1016/S0895-3988(08)60011-2.

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