Giemsa stain demonstrates which targets?

• A. Mast cells or H. pylori
• B. Nissl substance
• C. Amyloid
• D. Reticulin

Answer: (A)

Giemsa stain is a Romanowsky-type stain used on smears and tissue sections to differentiate cellular components and highlight certain microorganisms and granule-rich cells. It is especially good at identifying Helicobacter pylori in gastric mucosa, where the bacteria appear as small curved dark blue/purple rods against a lighter background, making them easier to spot within mucus and epithelium. It also highlights mast cell granules, which stain a deep purple due to their dense granule content, allowing visualization of these cells in tissue.

Nissl substance is demonstrated by Nissl staining (cresyl violet) to reveal neuronal rough endoplasmic reticulum; amyloid is demonstrated with Congo red (and other special stains); reticulin is demonstrated with silver-based reticulin stains.