Which of the Following Stains are Considered Differential

Question

Which of the following stains are considered differential?
A) Capsule stain AND Gram stain.
B) Flagella stain AND acid-fast stain.
C) Acid-fast stain AND Gram stain.
D) Acid-fast stain AND capsule stain.
E) Gram stain AND flagella stain.

Accepted Answer

Both acid-fast stain and Gram stain are considered differential because they differentiate between different types of cells. Acid-fast stain distinguishes between cells with mycolic acid in their cell wall, such as Mycobacterium, while Gram stain distinguishes between cells with different cell wall structures. The other choices either include non-differential stains (capsule stain and flagella stain) or two differential stains that do not complement each other (acid-fast stain and capsule stain).