387 A quicker tzanck smear test with methylene blue staining in diagnosis of herpesvirus infectionsa comparative study with giemsa stain

Tzanck smear is widely used as a bedside test for herpetic mucocutaneous infections. Traditionally used Giemsa stain requires multiple staining steps and is time-consuming. On the other hand, methylene blue (MB) has been used to stain Tzanck smear successfully with a single-step method. We aim to evaluate the utility of MB and to demonstrate that it is non-inferior to the conventional Giemsa stain. One hundred and fifty-six patients with suspected of having herpesvirus skin infections were recruited.
Source: Journal of Investigative Dermatology - Category: Dermatology Authors: Tags: Clinical Research: Pathophysiology and Therapeutics Source Type: research