Test directory: Acid Fast Smear and Culture Sterile

Ordering Code 651S
Test Name Acid Fast Smear and Culture Sterile
Alias AFB Smear and Culture
Mycobacteria smear and culture
TB smear and culture
MAI smear and culture
NTM smear and culture
Preferred Specimen Tissue, Sterile body fluids (CSF, Pleural fluid, etc)
Preferred Container Sterile container
Optimum Volume Sterile Body Fluids (CSF, Pleural fluid, etc): 5 mL
Tissue: 1 g
Collection Instructions If large volume of fluid is collected, send a 10 mL aliquot of a well-mixed specimen. If a syringe is to be submitted, remove needle and use a luer-tip to cap the syringe before submitting to the laboratory.
Handling Instructions Requests on isolates submitted by other clients are to be ordered as order code 4534. An indentification will be performed and charged if an organism ID is not provided
Ensure agar slant is appropriate for the type of organism submitted. Culture must be viable, pure, and safely contained (for air transport, agar plate is not acceptable & potentially biohazardous). Air transported specimens must be packaged according to infectious shipment regulations. A processing fee will be assessed if mixed isolates are submitted.
Transport Requirements Oahu: Refrigerated
Airline: Refrigerated
Specimen Stability Ambient: 2 Hours
Refrigerated: 5 Days
CSF is also stable at 33-37 degrees C for 5 days.
Rejection Criteria Frozen, Pooled specimen, Preservatives used, Specimen older than stability limits, Syringe with needle attached
Note: Specimens with rejection concerns that cannot be recollected (e.g. surgical tissue) will be processed upon receipt and the ordering physician consulted.
Avail. Stat NO
Analytic Time Up to 8 Weeks
Smear result available within 24 hours. Positives are reported as soon as detected. Additional time is required for ID/susceptibility if culture is positive.
Methodology Growth detection by CO2 production of acid-fast organism & microscopic examination of Fluorescent/carbol Fuchsin stained smear

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
Site: ALL See report.
Acid Fast Smear: ALL See report.
AFB Culture Status: ALL See report.
AFB Culture: ALL See report.