| Ordering Code | 646 |
|---|---|
| Test Name | AFB Blood/Bone Marrow |
| Alias | AFB Blood Culture AFB Bone Marrow Culture MAI Blood Culture |
| Preferred Specimen | Whole Blood or Bone Marrow |
| Preferred Container | Bactec Myco/F Lytic Bottle |
| Other Specimen/Container | Whole Blood or Bone Marrow in SPS (Yellow) |
| Optimum Volume | 5 mL For Bone Marrow, submit as much specimen as possible |
| Collection Instructions | Note: SPS should be used only for Fungal or AFB cultures, as other bacterial organisms may be inhibited by the anticoagulant Perform aseptic venipuncture: After palpating site, cleanse with 70% alcohol. Using tincture of iodine or provodone- iodine, swab in a circular motion concentrically from the center of the site outward. Allow iodine to dry (i.e. 2 or more minutes). DO NOT re-palpate site once it has been prepped. For iodine-sensitive patients, a double alcohol preparation may be used. |
| Handling Instructions | The top of the culture vial or SPS anticoagulant tube must be cleansed in the same manner as the patient prior to inoculation of the blood specimen. It is NOT necessary to perform a needle change prior to inoculation of the vial or tube. Keep specimen ambient. |
| Transport Requirements | Oahu: Ambient Airline: Ambient |
| Specimen Stability | Ambient: Myco/F Lytic = 16 hours from the time of collection SPS (Yellow) = 3 Days |
| Rejection Criteria | Clotted, Frozen, Specimen older than stability limits Note: specimens with rejection concerns that cannot be recollected (e.g. bone marrow) will be processed upon receipt and the ordering physician consulted. |
| Avail. Stat | NO |
| Analytic Time | Up to 6 Weeks Additional time is required for identification &/or susceptibility testing if the culture is positive. |
| Methodology | Culture, real time detection of increased CO2 production due to mycobacterial growth |
Reference range(s)
The reference ranges listed below are valid on this date of June 29, 2025.
| Component | Age | Male Norm | Male Critical Low | Male Critical High | Female Norm | Female Critical High | Female Critical Low | Units | Add'l info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFB Culture Status: | ALL | See report. | |||||||
| AFB Blood Result | ALL | See report. | |||||||
| AFB Bone Marrow Result | ALL | See report. |