ZN stain

E928060

ZN stain is a microbiological staining technique used to detect acid-fast organisms, particularly Mycobacterium species such as the tuberculosis bacillus.

All labels observed (2)

Label Occurrences
Neelsen component of Ziehl–Neelsen stain 1
ZN stain canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf acid-fast staining method
differential staining method
microbiological staining technique
advantage high specificity for acid-fast bacilli
alternativeName acid-fast bacilli stain
appliedTo clinical samples suspected of mycobacterial infection
sputum smears
tissue sections
biosafetyConsideration requires handling of potentially infectious aerosols
category hot acid-fast staining method
colorOfBackground blue or green depending on counterstain
colorOfOrganisms bright red rods
comparedWith Auramine–rhodamine fluorescent stain
detects Mycobacterium leprae
Nocardia species (partially acid-fast)
linked to: Nocardia

other acid-fast bacteria
fieldOfUse clinical microbiology
histopathology
infectious disease diagnostics
fullName Ziehl–Neelsen stain
hasVariant Kinyoun stain
cold Ziehl–Neelsen method
linked to: Kinyoun stain
limitation lower sensitivity than some fluorescent staining methods
microscopyType light microscopy
namedAfter Franz Ziehl NERFINISHED
Friedrich Neelsen
observationMagnification oil immersion microscopy
principle acid-fast organisms retain primary stain despite acid-alcohol decolorization
high mycolic acid content in cell wall confers acid-fastness
samplePreparation smear fixation by heat
stainingTarget mycolic acid–rich cell walls
step application of carbol fuchsin with heating
counterstaining with methylene blue or malachite green
decolorization with acid-alcohol
usedFor demonstration of acid-fast bacilli in clinical specimens
detection of Mycobacterium species
detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
detection of acid-fast organisms
diagnosis of tuberculosis
usedIn resource-limited settings for TB diagnosis
usesCounterstain malachite green
methylene blue
usesDecolorizer acid-alcohol
usesMordantOrAid heat
usesPrimaryStain carbol fuchsin
visualResult acid-fast bacilli appear red
non–acid-fast elements appear blue or green depending on counterstain

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Friedrich Neelsen eponymOf Neelsen component of Ziehl–Neelsen stain
linked to: ZN stain