Culture, Acid Fast (AFB) - various sources

Collection Requirements

Source: various fluids or tissue
Container(s):
Preferred: sterile cup
Acceptable: eSwab is accepted but not optimal specimen

BAL: sterile cup or BAL trap/Luki tube; swabs are not optimal for the recovery of acid fast organisms
Sputum, gastric washing, or urine: first morning sample is preferred
Feces: 1 gram; swabs are not optimal for the recovery of acid fast organisms
Gastric: requires special sodium bicarbonate container; obtain from Microbiology
Tissue: Submit immediately; Microbiology must process within 30 minutes of collection

Acid fast smear: 24 hours
Culture: 6 weeks (lymph node: 8 weeks)

Routine

Room temperature
Tissue: refrigerate if not processed within 1 hour of collection

St. Lukes Laboratory Services

Microbiology

Culture

No AFB isolated

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