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Acid fast bacteria have a waxy coat on their cell wall, and their cell walls contain peptidoglycan. However, neither the crystal violet nor the counterstain (safranin) will penetrate the waxy layer. Therefore they will not be visible. An example of acid-fast bacteria are Mycobacteria. To visualize these bacteria, another staining technique called 'acid-fast staining' would be required.

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Who received the Nobel Prize for physiology in 1905 for his work on tuberculosis.?

Robert Koch received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1905 for his work on tuberculosis. He discovered the tuberculosis bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and developed diagnostic criteria for the disease.


What does gram negative on a serratia marcescens gram stain mean?

Bacteria are gram positive or gram negative. Serratia happens to be a gram negative bacteria. They appear pink on a gram stain. Gram positive bacteria stain to a purple color on a gram stain. We can classify and ID bacteria using their gram stain and shape. Some antibiotics only work on gram negative bacteria and some only work on gram positive bacteria. It helps a doctor know which antibiotic to use.


Is a Gram stain an adequate substitute for an acid fast stain?

So few organisms are acid-fast, the acid fast stain is used only when infection by an acid-fast organisms is suspected.


What is the cause for TB?

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium causes TB. It is spread through the air when a person with TB (whose lungs are affected) coughs, sneezes, spits, laughs, or talks.TB is contagious, but it is not easy to catch. The chances of catching TB from someone you live or work with are much higher than from a stranger. Most people with active TB who have received appropriate treatment for at least 2 weeks are no longer contagious.


Does the gram stain procedure work for all bacteria?

Yes. The gram stain procedure separates all bacteria into one of two groups - into gram-negative bacteria which do not stain purple and into gram-positive cells which do stain purple. In structural terms, the ability of a cell to become stained during the gram stain procedure is due to the chemical makeup of the cell wall.


What is the importance of iodine after primary stain?

Iodine is used after the primary stain in the Gram stain procedure to form a complex with the crystal violet dye, which helps to stabilize the dye within the bacterial cell wall. This step enhances the retention of the primary stain in Gram-positive bacteria.


What color are bacterial endospores after a gram stain is performed?

Gram-staining does not stain the endospore due to the tough, resistant water-proof structure. It appears as an unstained area in a vegetative cell. Malachite green must be forced into the endospore with heat to stain it.


What microorganisms did Robert Koch discover?

Robert Koch discovered the causative agents of several diseases including the bacteria responsible for anthrax (Bacillus anthracis), tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), and cholera (Vibrio cholerae). His work in identifying these microorganisms helped establish the field of medical microbiology.


Why would you want to know if a gram stain is positive or negative?

Gram negative bacteria (pink gram stain) contain no outer cell membrane, while gram positive bacteria (purple gram stain) do contain an outer cell membrane. Gram negative and positive bacteria can respond differently to antibiotics. Many only work on only one of the two bacteria types. A gram stain is also the first step in identifying a bacteria, dividing bacteria into two large and distinct groups.


What is an acid-fast pathogen?

An acid-fast pathogen is a bacteria that is harmful to humans. They have cell walls that contain mycolic acid which is a lipid. Common Gram type staining techniques wont work with these cells. A special stain carbolfuchsin is used to penetrate the wall.After staining you wash with acid alcohol if the stain remains it is acid fast if it washes out it is non-acid fast.Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a well known acid-fast pathogen


What is the purpose of control test in gram stain?

Gram staining is a simple staining test that simply identifies the two main groups of bacteria. Gram positive, and gram negative. Down a microscope, gram pos look like a dark blue/purple colour, and gram neg look red. It is to do with what the wall of the bacteria comprises of, and without going into too much detail, certain drugs work on gram pos bacteria, and others wont. Likewise for gram neg.


What micro-organisms did Robert Koch find?

Robert Koch is known for identifying the causative agents of anthrax, tuberculosis, and cholera. These microorganisms are Bacillus anthracis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Vibrio cholerae, respectively. His work helped establish the principles of bacteriology and laid the foundation for modern microbiology.