Question

The smear of herpes virus is stained blue with

• A. 1% methylene blue
• B. 1% alcian blue
• C. 1% toluidine blue
• D. 1% coomassie blue

Answer 1

The correct option is C 1% toluidine blue

• Fluid or tissue scrap taken from the lesions and sores that appear in early stages of disease are used to diagnose if the patient is infected with viral infection or not.
• The stains used are such that it may stain the acidic genetic material present in the rapidly dividing cells of the virus or bacteria
• Since the fluid that is taken from the early lesions that appear on the skin in the early stage of the disease have syncytial condition ie more amount of genetic material is present therefore the staining will take place properly.
• 1% toluidine blue is basic dye that will stain the nucleic acid blue.
• Methylene blue is used to observe microscopic life under the microscope. It usually stains the outer wall or membrane of the organism.
• Alcian blue is used to stain acidic polysaccharide in muscles and tissue in histological studies.
• Coomassie blue is used for studying proteins as it stains the protein band blue color so that it can be observed as blue bands with a clear background as it does not stain any other thing in cell.
• Therefore the option C is correct as toluidine is the only dye her which will stain the acidic genetic material in the dividing cells of the virus.
• So, the correct answer is '1% toluidine blue'