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
Cleveland Clinic Laboratories
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mL | Bone marrow | Isolator tube (aerobic only) | Ambient | Draw 1-2 mL bone marrow using a heparinized syringe. Transfer to a pediatric Isolator tube (available from Microbiology, 216-444-1092). | |
| 10 mL | Blood | Isolator 10 microbial tube | Ambient | Recommended volume for adults is 10mL. For pediatric patients, draw 1.5 mL blood into a 1.5 mL Isolator tube (available from Microbiology, 216-444-1092) |
Alternate Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mL | Sodium or Lithium heparin (Green) | Acceptable container for bone marrow specimens. Transport promptly to Microbiology. |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 mL | Minimum for blood. | ||||
| 1 mL | Minimum for Bone Marrow |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | < 8 hrs |
| Refrigerated | Unacceptable |
| Frozen | Unacceptable |
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: For blood cultures, select vein to use. 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 Isolator tube or Myco/F bottle using 70% alcohol. Draw 10 ml into adult Isolator tube, 1.5 ml into Pediatric Isolator tube or 5 ml if direct draw into the Myco/ F bottle. After inoculation, clean septum with 70% alcohol. Transport to Microbiology with 4-6 hrs is recommended. Do NOT transport glass Myco/F bottles 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.