Me. Boon et al., VISUALIZATION OF VAGINAL FLORA IN CERVICAL SMEARS USING A MODIFIED MICROWAVE SILVER-STAINING METHOD, Histochemical Journal, 30(2), 1998, pp. 75-80
The advantage of studying the vaginal flora to determine the bacteria
and fungi present in cervical smears (as opposed to cultivation of the
se micro-organisms) is that the micro-organisms can be observed in the
ir natural habitat. However, they are only faintly stained by the conv
entional Papanicolaou method. Accordingly, contrast is weak and visual
ization poor. For this reason, we developed a modified microwave silve
r-staining method that can be performed retrospectively on stained sme
ars. Bacteria and fungi stain distinctly black and can be studied in g
reater detail, and their interrelationship can be visualized. Haematox
ylin or Eosin counterstain allows us to visualize vaginal inhabitants
in relation to epithelial cells. In the series presented here, we show
that a modified microwave silver-staining method is well suited to st
udying the ecology of micro-organisms in smears taken from women prese
nting to their doctor with clinical symptoms. Using this staining meth
od, we have shown that lactobacilli overgrowth is associated with symp
toms. (C) 1998 Chapman & Hall.