system
Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: METHODS, OBJECTIVE, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Caustics, Directly Observed Therapy, Equipment Contamination, Guidelines as Topic, Humans, Microscopy, Potassium Dichromate, Specimen Handling, Sputum, Tuberculosis, Pulmonary.
user
Does washing of new microscopic glass slides in dichromate solution influence sputum AFB smear results? Context: Microscopy centres in Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu, India, implementing DOTS. To know whether washing new glass slides in dichromate solution is essential for effective sputum acid-fast bacilli microscopy. Two direct smears were prepared from each of 1750 sputum samples. One was made on dichromate solution-cleaned new glass slides and the other was made on unwashed new glass slides. The smears were blinded and examined. Of the 1750 specimens, 13.5% and 13.08% were positive for AFB using washed and unwashed slides, respectively (P = 0.12). The concordance between these two (including one grade above and one below) was 98.7%.
assistant
Washing of new glass slides in dichromate solution is not essential for AFB microscopy. Final Decision: no