[Comparison of three staining methods for hepatitis B virus].

To compare the advantages and disadvantages of three staining methods of HBV. Normal Liver tissue and HBV-infected, HCV-infected, or dually infected (HBV and HCV) liver tissues were selected for this study. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections (4 microm) were prepared. Each of the liver tissue specimens was detected by three staining methods, including immunohistochemical methods, Shikata's orcein stain and Victoria blue stain,respectively. In the three methods, all of six HBV-infected cases showed intense staining, and three cases with dual infection (HBV and HCV) were weakly positive. However, both normal and HCV-infected liver tissues showed no staining. HBsAg stained dark brown with Immunohistochemical stain; HBsAg containing ground-glass hepatocytes stained magenta with Shikata's orcein stain; HBsAg stained blue with Victoria blue. Each of three methods has its own advantages and disadvantages: high specificity and sensitivity, but high cost for immunohistochemical methods; complicated and overelaborate procedure for preparation of solutions, lower specificity and sensitivity, but low cost, for special staining methods.