A modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain for mycobacteria

For the preliminary detection of mycobacteria in routine pathology specimens heavy reliance is placed on staining methods. Difficulties encountered with a cold-staining method, which had possibly gone un-noticed for several years despite a quality control check programme, are described. An alternative to the 'classical' Ziehl-Neelsen stain is described, which although devised initially as a 'stop-gap' is still in use eight years later.