AFB Smear, Acid-Fast Bacilli Smear
72 hours
Concentrated smears are stained with auramine and read by fluorescence microscopy,Confirmation is done by Kinyoun stain
Accredited NRL Laboratory
Monday to Friday
A rapid screening test in which a sample (sputum or tissue) is stained for acid-fast bacilli and examined under a microscope. A positive AFB smear indicates the presence of mycobacteria (such as M. tuberculosis) in the specimen, allowing early presumptive diagnosis of TB while culture is pending
Any clinical material The following are examples: • First morning sputum (not saliva) fasting gastric aspirate induced sputum tissue biopsy bronchial aspirate (washings/lavage)CSF and body fluid (e.g. gastric aspirate/lavage pleural pericardial chronic peritoneal dialysate Pool
5 mL sputum or respiratory aspirate, 2 cm tissue, 5 mL CSF, 50 mL body fluid (eg, gastric aspirate/lavage, pleural, pericardial, chronic peritoneal dialysate), biopsy of skin
Sterile container
No special preparation is required for this test. You may eat, drink, and take your medications as normal, unless instructed otherwise by your healthcare provider.
This test does not require any special collection or pre-analytical handling. Follow routine specimen collection protocols.
| Temperature | Period |
|---|---|
| Refrigerated | 3 days |