Sputum stain for mycobacteria

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Sputum test

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

There are no risks, unless bronchoscopy is performed.

To increase the accuracy of this test, it is sometimes done three times, often on three consecutive days.

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

Review Date: 11/16/2005
Reviewed By: Monica Gandhi, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.