Auramine-Rhodamine is a fluorescent technique.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not applicable
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (A)

Auramine-Rhodamine is a fluorescent stain used to detect acid-fast bacilli, especially Mycobacterium species. It uses fluorochromes that bind to the mycolic acids in the cell wall, so the organisms emit bright yellow-orange fluorescence when viewed under fluorescence microscopy. This makes screening faster and more sensitive than traditional acid-fast stains, because you can scan at lower magnification and still see the bacilli clearly. The key point is that it relies on fluorescence, not just a standard brightfield stain, which is why the statement is true.