AFB Culture Only




Test Mnemonic

AFCO

CPT Codes

  • 87116 - QTY (1)
  • 87015 - QTY (1)

LOINC ®

543-9

Aliases

  • Culture, AFB Blood
  • Culture, Mycobacteria Blood
  • Culture, Mycobacteria Bone Marrow
  • Mycobacteria Culture Only

Performing Laboratory

n/a


Specimen Requirements

Volume Type Container Collect Temperature Transport Temperature Special Instructions
1 - 2 mLBone marrowMyco/F Lytic BottleAmbientAmbientDraw 1-2 mL bone marrow with heparinized syringe. Transfer into Myco/F Lytic bottle.
3 - 5 mLBloodMyco/F Lytic BottleAmbientAmbientDraw blood directly into the Myco/F lytic bottle. Do not overfill.

Alternate Specimen Requirements

Volume Type Container Collect Temperature Transport Temperature Special Instructions
1 - 2 mLBone marrowSodium or Lithium heparin (Green)AmbientAmbientDraw 1-2 mL bone marrow using a heparinized syringe. Transfer to a sodium or lithium heparin tube.
10 mLBloodSodium or Lithium heparin (Green)AmbientAmbient 

Minimum Specimen Requirements

Volume Type Container Collect Temperature Transport Temperature Special Instructions
1 mL    Minimum for blood.

Stability

Environmental Condition Description
Ambient<72 hrs
Refrigerated<72 hrs
FrozenUnacceptable

Days Performed

7 days a week

Turnaround Time

9 weeks

Methodology

Name Description
Culture 

Reference Range

AFB Culture
Sex Age From Age To Type Range Range Unit
       Negative for Mycobacteria Growth 

Special Info

An AFB stain will not be performed. Blood cultures for AFB should ideally be drawn prior to administration of antimicrobials. Patient Preparation: Wipe off venipuncture site using a 70% alcohol pad. Apply Chloraprep to the skin over the selected venipuncture site and apply using up and down and back and forth strokes for a full 30 seconds. Allow the site to dry completely for 30 - 60 seconds. Swab septum of Myco/F bottle using 70% alcohol. Draw 5 ml into the Myco/ F bottle. After inoculation, clean septum with 70% alcohol. Transport to Microbiology promptly. Glass containers may not be transported using the pneumatic tube system.

Clinical Info

An AFB Culture only test should be performed to identify an infection due to mycobacteria in blood or bone marrow specimens. Broth medium will be utilized for culturing blood or bone marrow sites. Identification of positive cultures will be performed utilizing current methodologies. Susceptibility testing will be performed on significant isolates. Additional charges may apply (87118, 87153, 87186). A single negative culture does not rule out the presence of a mycobacterial infection.