Locations Main Campus: Chesterfield, MO 63017   |   Locations
314-434-1500 314-434-1500   |   Contact Us

Multimedia Encyclopedia


 
E-mail Form
Email Results

 
 
Print-Friendly
Bookmarks
bookmarks-menu

Sputum stain for mycobacteria

Acid fast bacilli stain; AFB stain; Tuberculosis smear; TB smear

 

Sputum stain for mycobacteria is a test to check for a type of bacteria that cause tuberculosis and other infections.

How the Test is Performed

 

This test requires a sample of sputum.

  • To do this, you will be asked to cough deeply and spit the substance that comes up from the lungs (sputum) into a container.
  • You may be asked to breathe in a mist of salty steam. This makes you cough more deeply and produce sputum.
  • If you still do not produce enough sputum, you might have a bronchoscopy .

The test sample is examined under a microscope. Another test, called a culture, is done to confirm the results. A culture test takes a few days to get results. This sputum test can give your doctor a quick answer.

 

How to Prepare for the Test

 

It can help to drink a lot of fluids the night before the test. It makes the test more accurate if it is done first thing in the morning.

 

How the Test Will Feel

 

There is no discomfort, unless a bronchoscopy needs to be performed.

 

Why the Test is Performed

 

The test is performed when the doctor suspects tuberculosis or other Mycobacterium infection.

 

Normal Results

 

Results are normal when no mycobacterial organisms are found.

 

What Abnormal Results Mean

 

Abnormal results show that the stain is positive for:

  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • Mycobacterium avium-intracellular
  • Other mycobacteria or acid-fast bacteria

 

Risks

 

There are no risks, unless bronchoscopy is performed.

 

Considerations

 

To increase the accuracy of this test, it is sometimes done three times, often three days in a row.

More sophisticated tests are sometimes used to stain sputum for mycobacteria. Check with your health care provider to see if these are available in the laboratory.

 

 

References

Murray PR. The clinician and the microbiology laboratory. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglass, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases . 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 16.

Septimus EJ. Pleural effusion and empyema. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglass, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases . 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 70.

 
  • Sputum test - illustration

    A sputum sample is obtained by coughing deeply and expelling the material that comes from the lungs into a sterile cup. The sample is taken to a labarotory and placed in a medium under conditions that allow the organisms to grow. A positive culture may identify disease-producing organisms that may help diagnose bronchitis, tuberculosis, a lung abscess, or pneumonia.

    Sputum test

    illustration

    • Sputum test - illustration

      A sputum sample is obtained by coughing deeply and expelling the material that comes from the lungs into a sterile cup. The sample is taken to a labarotory and placed in a medium under conditions that allow the organisms to grow. A positive culture may identify disease-producing organisms that may help diagnose bronchitis, tuberculosis, a lung abscess, or pneumonia.

      Sputum test

      illustration

    A Closer Look

     

      Tests for Sputum stain for mycobacteria

       

       

      Review Date: 11/24/2014

      Reviewed By: Daniel Levy, MD, PhD, Infectious Diseases, Lutherville Personal Physicians, Lutherville, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

      The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

       
       
       

       

       

      A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.



      Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.