Sputum fixatives: how safe is 50% alcohol?

C M O'Hara; S P Birmingham

PubMed · 60863

Sputum fixatives: how safe is 50% alcohol?

Abstract

It is believed that the following conclusions can be drawn from this study. 1) Fifty per cent ethyl alcohol fixative is bactericidal to 90 to 95% of the bacterial organisms present in the specimens submitted to cytology. 2) The fixative definitely appears to be selective against gram-negative organisms, both cocci and rods. 3) The fixative does not alter the ability of the organisms to take a characteristic stain. 4) The fixative does appear to alter the ability of the Histoplasma and the Cryptococcus to grow after a two-hour minimum fixation. No growth was noted after six weeks.

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C M O'Hara, S P Birmingham. Sputum fixatives: how safe is 50% alcohol?. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/60863/

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