TABLE 17-6.

Special Histochemical Stains for Microorganisms

Stain	Microorganism
Giemsa	Metachromatic granules. Good stain for protozoa and some bacteria.
Gram	Standard staining for bacteria.
Grocott methenamine silver	Fungi, Pneumocystis
Jimenez	Chlamydiae
Macchiavello	Chlamydiae
Mucicarmine	Capsule of Cryptococcus
Periodic acid-Schiff	Fungi
Steiner and Steiner silver	Numerous bacteria including Helicobacter (good contrast between the black staining of the bacteria and the background)
Toluidine blue	Metachromatic granules.
Wade-Fite	Acid-fast bacteria including mycobacteria, Nocardia
Warthin-Starry	Similar uses to Steiner stain.
Ziehl-Neelsen	Acid fast bacteria. Nocardia is difficult to detect.