Why is India ink used for Cryptococcus?

A novel modified India ink technique for the diagnosis of Cryptococcus neoformans in cerebrospinal fluid specimens is described. It employs 2% chromium mercury and India ink. This technique allows a clear identification of some external and internal structures of the organism.

How does Indian Ink demonstrate Cryptococcus neoformans?

Under the microscope, the India ink stain is used for easy visualization of the capsule in cerebral spinal fluid. The particles of ink pigment do not enter the capsule that surrounds the spherical yeast cell, resulting in a zone of clearance or “halo” around the cells.

How is India ink prepared?

Procedure of India Ink Preparation Centrifuge the CSF for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the supernatant fluid and mix the sediment. Transfer an equal amount of sediment and India ink i.e. a drop of the sediment to a slide and add a drop of India ink. Mix and cover with a coverslip.

What is the purpose of India ink used for in microbiology?

India ink capsule stain is used to demonstrate cell capsules through microscopic examination. This procedure is used to detect presence of encapsualted species, e.g. Cryptococcus neoformans, which causes cryptococcosis in humans.

What stain is used for Cryptococcus?

Special stains for cryptococcosis The cryptococcus capsule stains intensely with the mucicarmine stain (figure 4). Grocott, mucicarmine, methenamine silver, toluidine blue, or methylene blue are sometimes required help illustrate the characteristic budding yeasts.

Which of the following stain is used for Cryptococcus?

laurentii stained positively, and the pigment on the cell wall was as intense as that of the cells of C. neoformans. These results indicate that the Masson-Fontana silver stain can be used as a specific stain in the histological diagnosis of cryptococcosis.

What stain is used for Cryptococcus neoformans?

Masson-Fontana silver stain
neoformans. These results indicate that the Masson-Fontana silver stain can be used as a specific stain in the histological diagnosis of cryptococcosis.

Is Cryptococcus Gram positive or negative?

On the Gram stain, cryptococci appear as single, budding, thin-walled, oval to round cells (4-20 microns in diameter) containing Gram positive granular inclusions, surrounded by a capsule that varies in size and appears Gram negative.

Does Cryptococcus stain with PAS?

Similar to other yeast-form fungi, cryptococcal species stain with GMS, PAS and A-B.

How do you do Indian ink test?

One drop of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is mixed with a drop of India Ink on a clean micro slide. A cover slip is placed over it and the sample is examined through the low power lens, and then through the high power lens, of a microscope.

Can you see Cryptococcus on a Gram stain?