The Ziehl-Neelsen stain is the standard method for detecting acid-fast bacilli, particularly Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in sputum. This stain uses carbol fuchsin as the primary stain, which is retained by the mycolic acid in the bacterial cell wall after acid-alcohol decolorization. Acid-fast bacilli appear as bright red, slender, slightly curved rods against a blue or green background. While fluorescent stains like auramine-rhodamine offer higher sensitivity for screening, Ziehl-Neelsen remains widely used due to its specificity and cost-effectiveness in resource-limited settings.

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Zambia

• Joseph Soko – 101 pts

• Visual Pathway Lesions
• Positive and Negative Symptoms
• Hallucinations and Delusions
• Antipsychotic Medications
• Emergency: Environmental Emergencies