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AFB Culture with Stain
MessageIMPORTANT:
Specimen source must be listed on request form for processing.
All clinical specimens should be collected before initiation of chemotherapy, because even a few days of treatment with drugs may render a patient’s culture negative.
Specimen source must be listed on request form for processing.
All clinical specimens should be collected before initiation of chemotherapy, because even a few days of treatment with drugs may render a patient’s culture negative.
Test Code
Lab2238
Alias/See Also
Culture, Mycobacterium
Acid Fast Bacilli Culture and Stains
CSF AFB
AFSS
Acid Fast Bacilli Culture and Stains
CSF AFB
AFSS
CPT Codes
87116
Preferred Specimen
See collection instructions
Minimum Volume
5 mL
Instructions
Collection Instructions:
Submit only 1 of the following specimens:
Swabs are unacceptable
IMPORTANT: Specimen source must be listed on request form for processing.
All clinical specimens should be collected before initiation of chemotherapy, because even a few days of treatment with drugs may render a patient’s culture negative.
Body Fluid
1. Collect 5.0 mL of body fluids in a sterile screw cap tube.
2. Send specimen room temperature.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
1. Collect 5.0 mL of body fluids in a sterile screw cap tube.
2. Send specimen room temperature.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Cerebral Spinal Fluid
1. Collect CSF in plastic screw top tube from CSF collection kit.
2. Specify on order which collection tube number CSF AFB culture should be performed on.
3. Send specimen room temperature.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note: A CSF AFB culture does not include an acid fast smear.
1. Collect CSF in plastic screw top tube from CSF collection kit.
2. Specify on order which collection tube number CSF AFB culture should be performed on.
3. Send specimen room temperature.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note: A CSF AFB culture does not include an acid fast smear.
Gastric Lavage
1. Collect 5.0-10 mL of gastric lavage in screw-capped, sterile containers in the morning, soon after patient awakens.
2. Send specimen room temperature.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note:
1. Gastric washings are not recommended unless sputum cannot be produced.
1. Collect 5.0-10 mL of gastric lavage in screw-capped, sterile containers in the morning, soon after patient awakens.
2. Send specimen room temperature.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note:
1. Gastric washings are not recommended unless sputum cannot be produced.
Sputum
1. Collect 3 deep-cough sputum specimens (minimum volume: 5.0 mL) at least 8 hours apart with one being an early morning specimen in sputum collection containers. (Saliva is not acceptable.) To remove some indigenous flora of mouth area, have patient rinse mouth with water just prior to obtaining specimen.
2. Send specimen room temperature.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note:
1. Cough induction by inhalation of a saline aerosol is acceptable.
2. If the samples are <5mL the lab will combine them to meet specimen criteria for processing.
1. Collect 3 deep-cough sputum specimens (minimum volume: 5.0 mL) at least 8 hours apart with one being an early morning specimen in sputum collection containers. (Saliva is not acceptable.) To remove some indigenous flora of mouth area, have patient rinse mouth with water just prior to obtaining specimen.
2. Send specimen room temperature.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note:
1. Cough induction by inhalation of a saline aerosol is acceptable.
2. If the samples are <5mL the lab will combine them to meet specimen criteria for processing.
Tissue
1. Submit specimen (minimum volume: 1 g of tissue if possible) in a sterile container with gauze moistened with sterile saline. Do not fix specimen in formalin.
2. Send specimen at room temperature.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
1. Submit specimen (minimum volume: 1 g of tissue if possible) in a sterile container with gauze moistened with sterile saline. Do not fix specimen in formalin.
2. Send specimen at room temperature.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Urine
Collect a midstream urine specimen (minimum volume: 10 mL of urine) as follows:
1. First-morning specimen is preferred.
2. Instruct patient to thoroughly cleanse skin.
3. Collect specimen in a screw-capped, sterile container.
4. Send specimen room temperature.
5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Collect a midstream urine specimen (minimum volume: 10 mL of urine) as follows:
1. First-morning specimen is preferred.
2. Instruct patient to thoroughly cleanse skin.
3. Collect specimen in a screw-capped, sterile container.
4. Send specimen room temperature.
5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Wounds
1. Submit exudate from a wound in a screw-capped, sterile container.
2. Send specimen room temperature.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
1. Submit exudate from a wound in a screw-capped, sterile container.
2. Send specimen room temperature.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Transport Container
Sterile container
Transport Temperature
Ambient
Specimen Stability
Ambient – 8 hours
Refrigerated – 72 hours
Laboratory Retention – 7 days
Refrigerated – 72 hours
Laboratory Retention – 7 days
Methodology
Conventional Culture
Setup Schedule
Daily
Report Available
6-8 weeks
Reference Range
Mycobacterial Culture - No acid fast bacilli isolated
Acid Fast Smear - No acid fast bacilli observed
Acid Fast Smear - No acid fast bacilli observed
Clinical Significance
Identification of Mycobacterium species from various specimen sources.
Performing Laboratory
Meritus Microbiology
