Decolorizing of Mycobacterium leprae

ABSTRACT

1- Attention is drawn to the fact that acses are diagnosed as leprosy on the finding of acid-fast bacilli in nasal secretions or in pus. 2- Two cases are reported -in one the acid-fast bacilli on the slide became decolorized after treatment with alcohol and it is inferred that these were diphtheroids. In the second case it was shown that bacilli which had been reported as "indistinguishable from B. leprae" were diphtheroids. 3- A plea is made for the standardization of laboratory technique.