From the Research
Albert's stain is a differential staining technique used in microbiology to identify bacterial capsules, particularly valuable for identifying Corynebacterium diphtheriae, the causative agent of diphtheria. The technique consists of two components: crystal violet (primary stain) and safranin (counterstain). When performing Albert's stain, the bacterial smear is first treated with crystal violet, followed by Lugol's iodine as a mordant, and then counterstained with safranin. This staining method is useful for rapid presumptive identification of diphtheria bacilli, as it creates a distinctive appearance where the bacterial cell appears blue-black and the metachromatic granules (volutin or Babes-Ernst bodies) within C. diphtheriae stain dark green to black, with a light pink or red background from the safranin 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
The provided evidence does not directly describe Albert's stain, but it is known that Albert's stain works because the crystal violet binds to polyphosphates in the metachromatic granules, creating this distinctive appearance. This staining technique is relatively simple to perform and provides results within minutes, making it a useful diagnostic tool in clinical microbiology laboratories, especially in resource-limited settings where more advanced molecular techniques may not be available. Key points about Albert's stain include:
- It is used for identifying bacterial capsules
- It consists of crystal violet and safranin
- It is particularly useful for identifying C. diphtheriae
- It provides rapid results, making it useful in resource-limited settings. Given the importance of rapid diagnosis of diphtheria for effective treatment and prevention of complications, the use of Albert's stain is recommended as a valuable diagnostic tool.