Ziehl-Neelsen staining

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Ziehl-Neelsen staining showing the rod-shaped bacteria which appear as magenta/pink against a blue background.

Stain primarily to look for mycobacterium (but not exclusive to mycobacteria). Nocardia also stain positive.

The principle of ZN staining is that the all tissues - and any microorganisms - take on the colour (stain), the colour can be removed (bleached) from different tiisues by acids or alkali. "Acid and alkali fast" means that the colour is not removed by the acid or alkalki used.

Positive staining of Schistosoma mansoni eggs.

The shell of Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma intercalatum and Schistosoma japonicum[1] eggs also stain positive unlike the eggs of other Schistosoma species.

Procedure

References

  1. ↑ Muller RL, Taylor MG. On the use of the Ziehl-Neelsen technique for specific identification of schistosome eggs. Journal of helminthology. 1972; 46(2):139-42.
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