What does AFB stand for in medical?
Brief Description. Acid- Fast Bacilli (AFB) smear and culture are two separate tests always performed together at the MSPHL, Tuberculosis (TB) Unit. AFB smear refers to the microscopic examination of a fluorochrome stain of a clinical specimen.
What does AFB positive mean?
Positive AFB smears indicate a probable mycobacterial infection. However, a culture must be performed to confirm a diagnosis and identify the species of mycobacteria present.
What is AFB in sputum test?
A sputum stain for Mycobacteria is a laboratory test performed on a sample of your sputum, or phlegm. It’s also known as an acid-fast bacillus (AFB) stain or a tuberculosis (TB) smear. A doctor typically orders the test to determine if a person has tuberculosis (TB) or another type of mycobacterial infection.
What can cause a positive AFB?
Pathogen may show a positive AFB smear other than mycobacteria. A positive AFB smear resulting from other bacteria that may have a positive AFB smear, such as Nocardia, Actinomyces, Rhodococcus, Legionella micdadei or cysts of Cryptosporidium species (12, 13).
What is PCR in medical term?
PCR (polymerase chain reaction): PCR (polymerase chain reaction): PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is a technique in molecular genetics that permits the analysis of any short sequence of DNA (or RNA) even in samples containing only minute quantities of DNA or RNA.
How do you collect AFB culture?
To do an AFB culture, healthcare providers take a sample of phlegm or sputum you’re coughing up or a tiny bit of your tissue. They “culture” it by putting it in a special container with food the bacteria needs to grow. They then check it over a few weeks’ time to see whether the bacteria grow.
How is AFB culture done?
What is the clinical importance of AFB staining?
The acid-fast stain is a laboratory test that determines if a sample of tissue, blood, or other body substance is infected with the bacteria that causes tuberculosis (TB) and other illnesses.
How accurate is AFB test?
RESULTS: Diagnostic accuracy of induced sputum AFB smear was found to be 92.85%, sensitivity 63.63%, specificity 97.26%, PPV 77.78% and NPV 95.67% (p-value <0.001)and that of BAL was found to be 86.90%, sensitivity 52.94%, specificity 95.52%, PPV 75% and NPV 88.89% (p-value <0.001).
What organisms are AFB positive?
These include:
- Bacterial endospores.
- Head of sperm.
- Cryptosporidium parvum.
- Isospora belli.
- Cyclospora cayetanensis.
- Taenia saginata eggs.
- Hydatid cysts.
- Sarcocystis.
What does AFB stand for in medical terms?
The medical abbreviation AFB stands for “Acid-fast Bacilli”. Was this site helpful to you? We would very much appreciate you whitelisting us or using this link when you shop on Amazon (no impact on your order).
How is an AFB test used to diagnose an infection?
A few different tests may be used to help identify AFB as the cause of an infection: AFB smear—a microscopic examination of a person’s sputum or other specimen that is stained to detect acid-fast bacteria. It is a rapid test used to provide presumptive results within one to two days.
When to use acid fast Bacilli ( AFB ) testing?
AFB testing may be used to detect several different types of acid-fast bacilli, but it is most commonly used to identify an active tuberculosis (TB) infection.
What does a positive AFB test mean for TB?
If your AFB culture was positive, it means you have active TB or another type of AFB infection. The culture can identify which type of infection you have. Once you have been diagnosed, your provider may order a “susceptibility test” on your sample.