Culture For - AFB
AFB – Acid Fast Bacillus is a kind of bacteria that is the causative agent for TUBERCULOSIS (TB) and other infections. TB causes serious health complications to the lungs, brain, bones such as the spine and kidneys. As per the physician’s recommendations or pathologist, sample specimen is collected from various places such as blood, urine, phlegm for this test for diagnosing tuberculosis and similar acid-fast bacterial infections such as leprosy. In this AFB Culture, the specimen is taken to the lab and makes the bacteria grow in the environment to diagnose Tuberculosis or other infections.AFB – Acid-fast Bacteria culture helps to detect Tuberculosis (TB) Mycobacterium Infection.
Culture AFB:
Why Culture AFB Test?
CLINICAL INFORMATION
Tuberculosis is a serious bacterial infection that mainly affects the lungs and can be spread from person to person through coughing and sneezing. Moreover from the primary site of infection which is the lungs, reactivation can spread to other parts of the body (disseminated tuberculosis) such as the brain, spine and kidneys (extra-pulmonary TB). AFB smear for mycobacteria is performed in the laboratory on specimen samples such as sputum, phlegm etc. The principle of the acid-fast test is that the organisms lack lipoidal material in their cell wall due to which they easily decolourize, leaving cells colourless, then the smear is stained with counterstain methylene blue which helps in detection. Hence Mycobacterium and Nocardial species are called acid-fast because during the acid-fast staining procedure they retain primary dye carbol fuchsin despite de-colourization with powerful solvent acid-alcohol. The demonstration of Acid-fast bacillus (AFB) with auramine-rhodamine stain, Ziehl-Neelsen stain or Kinyoun stain in sample specimen is performed for screening of disseminated tuberculosis in advanced stages. The symptoms of active TB include a cough that lasts more than three weeks or more, coughing up blood and/or sputum, chest pain, fever, fatigue, night sweats and unexplained weight loss. An acid-fast bacterial culture is done to determine suspects with TB or other mycobacterium related infections. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a slow-growing bacterium that is the etiological agent for causing TB. Agar-based and egg-based media incorporating green malachite and Middlebrook broths or solid media are recommended as the Gold standard for the culture of M.tuberculosis. Antibiotic sensitivity test reveals most effective medication for appropriate sample specimen. Other tests include interferon-gamma release assay, Mantoux test. PCR etc.
General Instructions:
Sample Requirement: Specimen - Phlegm. Test Preparation: None.
NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presenting complaints/signs or symptoms:
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.
This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory RTDIAGNOSTICS provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centres to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.
