AbstractIntroduction: Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by mycobacterium tubercular bacilli. It primarily affects lung and it can involve any organ system in the body. There are various methods for detection of acid fast bacilli in the sputum examination for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Material and Method: Our study was done clinically suspected tubercular patients in the tertiary care hospital. On all received samples ZN stain was applied by two method (conventional and bleach). Result: 682 cases out of 3962 total cases are positive both in conventional method and bleach method and the 188 cases are positive only in bleach method. Conclusion: The majority of positive cases in bleach method showed easily visible and detectable. AFB morphology was observed to be better preserved to in the bleach method. The bleach method is safe, inexpensive and easy to perform and requires no additional equipment.
Keyword: Tuberculosis (TB); Mycobacterium Tubercular Bacilli (MTB) Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB); Ziehl- Neelsen (ZN Stain) and Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite).