A cerebrospinal fluid sample from a 2-year-old child is sent to the lab to identify the presence of encapsulated yeast. Which staining method is most frequently used for this purpose?

Explanation

India ink staining is the preferred technique to detect encapsulated yeast, such as Cryptococcus species, in cerebrospinal fluid. It highlights the capsule by creating a clear halo around the yeast cells. Other stains like methenamine silver and Ziehl-Neelsen are used for different microorganisms, while Pyte-Ferraco stain is not commonly applied in this context.