Acid Fast Stain
Mycobacterium
• Members of the Mycobacterium are visualized better by the use of
the Adic Fast Stain. Such members have a thick waxy (lipoiodal) wall
that becomes an obstacle in usieng the regular gram stain, that is why
and acid fast method is used to have the stain penetrate the wall to
stain and visualize the bacteria. Example of such bacteria re
M.tuberculosis and M.leprae.
Apply carbol fuchsin to the slide
make sure you have a boiling water
leave for 5 minute you can also put
a paper towel and saturate it with
the stain.
Remember you will need to go over the
steps of fixing your bacteria on the slide
and then apply the carbol fuchsin
We rinse after every
stain
Apply acid alcohol
until the it runs clear
or keep for 10-15
seconds.
We rinse after every
stain
Counter stain with
methylene blue for 2
minutes
We rinse after every
stain
Dry the slide
Work
• 1- Give two examples of mycobacterium bacteria.
• 2- Explain the disease that they cause to humans.
• 3- Search the internet to find why heat is needed in this procedure.