Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Safer staining method for acid fast bacilli

R C Ellis1, L A Zabrowarny

  • 1Department of Histopathology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, South Australia.

Journal of Clinical Pathology
|June 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Outcomes of posterior sheath supplementation with Vicryl mesh in TAR-a single-center study.

Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery·2024
Same author

Parastomal hernia repair, trying to optimize the impossible reconstruction.

Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery·2024
Same author

Can surgeons accurately identify mesh type when interpreting computed tomography scans after ventral hernia repair?

Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery·2024
Same author

Outcomes of complex abdominal wall reconstruction in patients with connective tissue disorders: a single center experience.

Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery·2024
Same author

Analysis of retromuscular drain output and postoperative outcomes for heavyweight versus mediumweight polypropylene mesh following open ventral hernia repair.

Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery·2024
Same author

Cannabis smoking and abdominal wall reconstruction outcomes: a propensity score-matched analysis.

Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery·2024
Same journal

Defining biochemical, pathological and molecular factors prognostic in terms of disease control and survival in high-grade extremity soft tissue sarcoma: a scoping review.

Journal of clinical pathology·2026
Same journal

MILGDF: a multi-task, instance-level supervised model for oral squamous cell carcinoma integrating local-global attention and dynamic decision fusion.

Journal of clinical pathology·2026
Same journal

Paediatric B-lymphoblastic leukaemia with low peripheral blasts: a potential diagnostic pitfall.

Journal of clinical pathology·2026
Same journal

MRI-targeted versus systematic needle core biopsies in prostate cancer: a patient-based analysis of potential diagnostic and biologic underestimation.

Journal of clinical pathology·2026
Same journal

Basal plasmacytosis and eosinophilia for distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease from gastrointestinal tuberculosis on mucosal biopsy.

Journal of clinical pathology·2026
Same journal

Assay-dependent variability in free thyroxine (FT4): differential interference related to immunoassay design in a patient with subclinical hypothyroidism.

Journal of clinical pathology·2026
See all related articles

A novel, safer, and cheaper method for staining acid-fast bacilli (AFB) uses a liquid organic detergent instead of toxic phenol. This new technique stains AFB red with excellent results, comparable to traditional methods.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Staining Techniques
  • Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

  • Traditional acid-fast bacilli (AFB) staining methods often rely on phenol, a highly toxic chemical.
  • Safer and more cost-effective alternatives are needed for AFB staining in laboratory settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a safer and more economical method for staining acid-fast bacilli.
  • To replace phenol in AFB staining solutions with a less toxic lipophilic agent.

Main Methods:

  • A liquid organic detergent (LOC High Suds) was substituted for phenol in the staining solution.
  • The efficacy of the new staining method was compared to the traditional carbol fuchsin method.

Main Results:

  • Acid-fast bacilli stained red, while nuclei and cytoplasm stained blue against a clear background.

Related Experiment Videos

  • The results were comparable to those obtained with the traditional phenol-based method.
  • The detergent-based method proved to be as efficient as, and considerably cheaper than, the traditional method.

    • Conclusions:

    • Liquid organic detergents are effective and safer lipophilic agents for AFB staining compared to phenol.
    • This novel staining method offers an efficient, safer, and more economical alternative for identifying acid-fast bacilli.