Turnaround Time Physicians will be notified of all smear results.
Special Instructions For diagnosis, acid-fast stain and culture are usually ordered together and are only performed off-hours on a stat basis. Results are presumptive, pending examination of concentrated specimens. Twenty-four hour specimens are not acceptable because of bacterial overgrowth. Deliver specimen promptly to the laboratory. The following information must be provided to the laboratory for the proper processing of specimens: specific site of specimen, current antibiotic therapy, age and sex of patient, collection time and date, physician's name and pager number, and clinical diagnosis.
Specimen Appropriate specimen for an acid-fast smear is the same as for culture.
Causes for Rejection Dry swab, leaking specimen. If an unacceptable specimen is received, the appropriate nursing station will be notified and another specimen will be requested.
Use Determine the presence of mycobacteria, monitor the course of antimycobacterial therapy; establish the diagnosis of mycobacterial infection in undiagnosed granulomatous disease, fever of unknown origin (FUO), and in patients suspected of having a defect in cellular immunity (eg, AIDS, lymphoma, etc)
Methodology Kinyoun acid-fast stain of direct specimen; AO stain of concentrated specimen
