Mycobacteria are aerobic bacteria with a specially adapted cell wall containing characteristic pepitdoglycolipids that render the bacteria somewhat resistant to gram staining. The term “acid fast bacteria (AFB)” refers to special procedures that allow for arylmethane dye uptake and retention, despite exposure to acid. Bacteria appear in a red–pink color by light microscopy.
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© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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(2012). Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB). In: Vincent, JL., Hall, J.B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Intensive Care Medicine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00418-6_3004
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00418-6_3004
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