New CLIA regulations require the laboratory to check acid-fast stains using a positive and negative control each day of use and to check fluorochrome stains with a positive and negative control each time of use. This company’s ATS AFB Stain Quality Control Slides are designed to meet these criteria with a positive control well of Mycobacterium scrofulaceum and a negative control well of Escherichia coli, each suspended in digested simulated sputum that provides consistent background staining while reducing any potential hazards associated with pooled human sputum.
     ATS AFB slides are available in packages of 10 or 40 with a shelf life of 18 months.
The text of the new CLIA regulations may be found under the control procedures section, 493.1256 which is available online at the ASM website.
Alpha-Tec Systems
www.CLPmag.com
Keywords: microbiology, stains, QC