What are the Steps Involved in Acid-Fast Staining?
The process involves several steps: 1. Sample Collection: Nurses often collect sputum or other relevant samples from patients suspected of having TB or other mycobacterial infections. 2. Fixation: The sample is fixed on a glass slide using heat. 3. Primary Staining: Carbol fuchsin is applied to the slide and heated to allow penetration into the waxy cell wall of the acid-fast bacilli. 4. Decolorization: The slide is then treated with an acid-alcohol solution. Acid-fast bacilli retain the primary stain, while non-acid-fast organisms do not. 5. Counterstaining: Methylene blue or malachite green is used to stain the non-acid-fast organisms, providing a contrast.
