During the skill-building session in microbiology the students need to stain the prepared and fixed sputum smears obtained form a tuberculosis patient. What staining technique should be used in this case?

Answer options

1. Gins
2. Ziehl-Neelsen
3. Gram
4. Burry
5. Giemsa

Explanation

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an acid-fast bacterium so, special staining i.e., Ziehl-Neelsen is used to stain them because they cannot be stained with gram- staining, due to the presence of mycolic acid in their cell wall.