Carbol fuchsin

Description

Carbol fuchsin is a histological stain used in microbiology to distinguish acid-fast bacteria from non-acid-fast bacteria. It is a mixture of basic fuchsin, phenol, and water and is commonly used in the Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique for the detection of tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections. Carbol fuchsin stains the cell walls of acid-fast bacteria bright red, while other cells are unstained or slightly stained. This makes it easier to see and identify these microbes under a microscope. Carbol fuchsin is also used in veterinary medicine and phytopathology for similar purposes.