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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - 2 mL | Bone marrow | Myco/F Lytic Bottle | Ambient | Ambient | Draw 1-2 mL bone marrow with heparinized syringe. Transfer into Myco/F Lytic bottle. |
| 3 - 5 mL | Blood | Myco/F Lytic Bottle | Ambient | Ambient | Draw 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 mL | Bone marrow | Sodium or Lithium heparin (Green) | Ambient | Ambient | Draw 1-2 mL bone marrow using a heparinized syringe. Transfer to a sodium or lithium heparin tube. |
| 10 mL | Blood | Sodium or Lithium heparin (Green) | Ambient | Ambient |
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 |
| 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: 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.