Sign in →

Test Code C AFB Culture AFB with Smear

Patient Preparation

No special patient preparation required

Special Collection Instructions

Specimen Instructions
Sputum, Trach Aspirate, Bronch Wash Prefer first morning expectoration (10 mL)
Urine Midstream portion of single voided early morning specimen (10 mL)
CSF Prefer 8-10 mL, Tube #2 or #3
Body Fluids, Ear, Genital, Stool, Tissue, Exudates Swabs are unacceptable for AFB.
Pleural Fluid: Prefer 15 mL
Gastric Fluid
  1. Collect early in morning before patient eats & while still in bed.
  2. Introduce a nasogastric tube orally or nasally to stomach.
  3. Perform lavage with 25-50 mL of chilled, sterile DI water.
  4. Recover sample and place in sterile leak proof container.

Collection Method

Follow appropriate collection procedures

Minimum Volume

Specimen Minimum Volume
CSF 1 mL
Other 1.5 mL

Container

Sterile CSF Tube


OR

Sterile Cup

Acceptable Specimens

  • Abscess
  • Aspirate
  • Biopsy
  • Bone
  • Bone Marrow
  • CSF
  • Ear
  • Empyema
  • Exudate
  • Fistula
  • Fluid
  • Genital
  • Hematoma
  • Joint
  • Other
  • Respiratory
  • Stool
  • Tissue
  • Urine

Reference or Target Ranges

Negative

Reportable Units

Positive/Negative

Critical Value

Positive

Reasons for Rejection

 

 

 

 

Hemolysis Threshold N/A
Icterus Threshold N/A
Lipemia Threshold N/A
Other QNS, contaminated, improperly labled
Inappropriate specimens: Swabs, Eye, and Hardware. See “Microbiology Criteria for Specimen Rejection Guideline” for further information.

 

 

Specimen Stability

Specimen Stability
Sputum, Trach Aspirate, Bronch Wash Room Temperature: 2 hours
Refrigerated: 24 hours
Urine Refrigerated: 2 hours
CSF Room Temperature: 2 hours
Refrigerated: 8 hours
Body Fluids, Ear, Genital, Stool, Tissue, Exudates Room Temperature: 2 hours
Refrigerated: 8 hours
Gastric Fluid Room Temperature: 15 minutes

Performance Information

Days and Time Performed Daily
Expected Turn Around Time Smear - Within 36 hours/Culture - up to 8 weeks
Stat Availabilty No
Performing Bench Microbiology
Methodology/Method Description Culture
Performance Note Specimens with the same source and same type, collected on the same date will be pooled and performed as one culture and smear.

 

 

CPT Codes

87116