MYCOBACTERIA, CULTURE,WITH FLUOROCHROME SMEAR

4554

Mycobacteria Culture, Concentration, Acid-Fast Bacilli Stain

An additional charge for Concentration (CPT code(s): 87015) will be added as appropriate.

Identification will be performed at an additional charge for each organism
CPT code(s) 87118: Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight or
CPT code(s) 87153: AFB Sequencing

If TB is isolated for the first time or after three months after the first isolate from a patient, susceptibilities will be performed at an additional charge (CPT code(s): 87190 per drug.

10 mL body fluids or lower respiratory tract specimens or
10 mL gastric lavage or
2 mL CSF or
2 grams fresh (unfixed) tissue or
40 mL urine collected in a sterile, leak-proof container or
1 mL exudate, aspirate, lesion material, ocular specimen
collected in a sterile, leak-proof container.
1 gram or 1 mL stool collected in a sterile, leak-proof
container

See the alphabetical listing in the Microbiology section
of Specimen Collection and Handling for further
instructions.

Instructions:
Tissue and biopsy material: Sterile, leak-proof container
with small amount of saline, no fixative or preservative.
Gastric lavage fluid: Sterile, leak-proof container. Must
be neutralized with sodium bicarbonate within 4 hours of
collection.
Expectorated sputum: Instruct patient to gargle with water
and cough deeply. Three separate early morning collections
on at least three consecutive days are recommended.

2 mL body fluids or lower respiratory tract specimens or
2 mL gastric lavage or
1 mL CSF or
1 gram fresh (unfixed) tissue or
20 mL urine collected in a sterile, leak-proof container or
1 mL exudate, aspirate, lesion material, ocular specimen
collected in a sterile, leak-proof container.
1 gram or 1 mL stool

Swabs in Amies liquid, Amies gel swab, Stuarts or ESwab
transport systems, ONLY if tissue biopsy or wound aspirate
is not available
Samples in Anaerobic Transport Medium, ONLY if it is an
irreplaceable sample type
Throat/oral/sputum swabs from cystic-fibrosis patients

REFER TO PREFERRED SPECIMEN REQUIREMENTS

REFRIGERATED (COLD PACKS)

ROOM TEMPERATURE: UNACCEPTABLE
REFRIGERATED: 5 DAYS
FROZEN: UNACCEPTABLE

24 hour pooled urine or sputum
Dry swabs
Specimens received in alcohol, formalin, EDTA, lithium
heparin or conventional blood culture bottles
Throat/oral/sputum swabs from non-cystic-fibrosis patients
Urine specimens in preservative
Specimens received in expired transport
Specimens that leaked during transit
Specimens broken in transit

Daily

56 days

See Laboratory Report

There are more than 70 species of mycobacteria of which the primary pathogen is M. tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a chronic, granulomatous disease caused by M. tuberculosis. Identification, and, if appropriate, antibiotic sensitivity, is required to initiate necessary therapy.