Ue of Chlorazol Black E Mount of Corneal crape for Diagnoi of Filamentou Fungal Keratiti Original Reearch Article

Purpoe To determine whether chlorazol black E, a chitin-pecific tain, can be ued to detect fungal filament in corneal craping and to compare it enitivity a a diagnotic aid for fungal keratiti with that of gram and lactophenol cotton blue tain. Deign Propective tudy, laboratory invetigation. Method Between December 1, 2005 and July 31, 2006, corneal crape from 163 patient with ulcerative keratiti were ued for culture and to prepare mear that were tained by lactophenol cotton blue, chlorazol black E, or gram tain. A diagnoi of fungal keratiti wa etablihed if fungal growth occurred on the inoculated area of multiple culture plate. Reult Fungi were iolated from corneal crape of 82 patient. Taking fungal culture poitivity a the gold tandard for diagnoi of fungal keratiti, direct microcopic examination of chlorazol black E mount had a enitivity of 82% and pecificity of 98%; culture reult and chlorazol black E reult were identical in 89.6% of patient. Lactophenol cotton blue mount and gram-tained mear had a enitivity of 85%, pecificity of 90% to 91%, and 88% agreement with culture reult. Concluion Chlorazol black E can be ued for detection of fungal filament in corneal craping; however, it i le enitive than lactophenol cotton blue and gram tain a a diagnotic aid for fungal keratiti.