Wayson stain

The Wayson stain is a basic fuchsin-methylene blue, ethyl alcohol-phenol microscopic staining procedure. It was originally a modified methylene blue stain used for diagnosing bubonic plague.[1] With this stain, Yersinia pestis appears purple with a characteristic safety-pin appearance,[2] which is due to the presence of a central vacuole.

Blood smear taken from a patient with bubonic plague. Note the safety pin appearance of Yersinia pestis. Magnification ×1000. Wayson stain.

Wayson stain is used along with the Giemsa and Wright's stains to rapidly detect potential biowarfare attacks.[3] It has also been investigated as a possible cheaper and faster way to detect melioidosis.[4] It is a useful alternative to the Gram or Loeffler’s Methylene Blue stains, especially for detecting Yersinia enterocolitica which is often found in contaminated food.[5]

References
  1. Meyer KF, Batchelder AP (1926). "A disease in wild rats caused by Pasteurella muricida, n. sp". J Infect Dis. 39 (5): 386–412. doi:10.1093/infdis/39.5.386.
  2. Inglesby TV, Dennis DT, Henderson DA, et al. (May 2000). "Plague as a biological weapon: medical and public health management. Working Group on Civilian Biodefense". JAMA. 283 (17): 2281–90. doi:10.1001/jama.283.17.2281. PMID 10807389.
  3. Medscape.com Clues to the Specific Etiologic Agent Used in a Biological Attack
  4. Sheridan EA, Ramsay AR, Short JM, Stepniewska K, Wuthiekanun V, Simpson AJ (May 2007). "Evaluation of the Wayson Stain for the Rapid Diagnosis of Melioidosis". J. Clin. Microbiol. 45 (5): 1669–70. doi:10.1128/JCM.00396-07. PMC 1865910. PMID 17360835.
  5. CLP Magazine Aug 2001


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