Gram Stain??

[kimsbirds]

I wondered if anyone might know if a grams stain is also sometimes referred to as an "acid-fast" stain?
I hadn't heard this term before, and my lil ole brain got me a'wunderin.

[linda040899]

Kim,
A Gram Stain is different than acidfast. Acidfast is used to detect the presence of Mycobacterium Avium, avian TB (in birds). It's an interesting test in that it's only accurate if it shows positive. A negative test does not mean that Mycobacterium isn't present. It just wasn't detected.

[kimsbirds]

How often would a test such as this be used? What would clinical signs of avian TB be? ( I'm so petrified now, I'm freaked out over little things...)
Thanks Linda

[linda040899]

Kim,
I've only seen m. avium once in my breeding career and my avian vet at that time had never seen it. The bird that had it had small white lumps in various places and I had taken her in to have a biopsy done on one of the lumps. Apparently she had had it for quite a while and never came out of the anesthesia. I had acidfast tests done on about 8 birds that had been around her, including her mate, and all came back negative. I never saw it again and it's been about 7 yrs.

[kimsbirds]

Thanks Linda, your advice is always appreciated :)