The BBL™ Gram Slide is used for evaluating and controlling the quality of Gram stain reagents and techniques
Quality control procedures are performed to help ensure that the information reported by laboratories is accurate, reliable and reproducible. Reagents and personnel are monitored at established intervals to document the validity of the test method.1-8 The BBL Gram Slide offers a standardized, pretested stable control for use when testing Gram stain reagents. The prepared slide eliminates the need for maintaining stock cultures to prepare slides.
User Quality Control: Stain slides by the Gram stain technique and examine microscopically. The "C±" square should contain a mixture of gram-positive cocci and gram-negative rods.
Reagents: The BBL Gram Slide is a conventional 1" x 3" microscope slide imprinted with 10 squares. One square contains unstained control organisms. The remaining nine squares are available for staining test isolates. The control square, labeled (C±), consists of a mixture of gram-positive cocci and gram-negative bacilli, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, respectively. The BBL Gram Slide must be heat-fixed prior to staining.
Warnings and Precautions: For in vitro Diagnostic Use. The control organisms have been chemically inactivated and air-dried on the slide. However, all slides should be handled as if they have infectious material. Follow proper established laboratory procedure in handling and disposing of infectious materials. Due to possible carryover of organisms during the staining procedure, this product is not recommended for use with clinical specimens.