Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB)

Covering the complex terminology of Tuberculosis and other assoicated disease
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Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB)

#1 Post by auntiebi0tic » Fri Jan 10, 2020 3:15 pm

Acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear An examination of a specimen (e.g., sputum) that has been spread onto a glass slide, stained, washed in an acid solution, and then placed under the microscope for examination; used to detect acid-fast bacilli in a specimen. Acid-fast bacilli are not decolorized by acid-alcohol after having been stained with dyes such as basic fuchsin.

The most common staining technique used to identify acid-fast bacteria is the Ziehl-Neelsen stain, in which the acid-fast species are stained bright red and stand out clearly against a blue background.



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