While on Albert stain club shaped rods containing
metachromatic granules were found.
4B): (1) the cuboidal cells with round nuclei on the lateral side of the skeletal rod; (2) the ciliated tall columnar cells in the distal end of the filament; (3) the small columnar cells with dense granules and microvilli; (4) the mucus cells with large basophilic or small
metachromatic granules in the efferent filament.
Gram-stained smears showed a large number of gram-positive bacilli with the appearance of Chinese letters, and Albert stain showed bacilli with numerous
metachromatic granules. A diagnosis of faucial diphtheria, with a strong possibility of laryngeal diphtheria, was made.
Fine needle aspiration biopsy revealed round tumor cells with cytoplasmic
metachromatic granules (Fig.
Additionally,
metachromatic granules were also seen in Albert's staining.