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</noscript></div><div class="main"><div id="ency_summary"><p>Sputum stain for mycobacteria is a test to check for a type of bacteria that cause <a test="test" href="./000077.htm">tuberculosis</a> and other infections.<br/></p></div><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>How the Test is Performed</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-1" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-1"><p>This test requires a sample of sputum.</p><ul><li>You will be asked to cough deeply and spit any substance that comes up from your lungs (sputum) into a special container.</li><li>You may be asked to breathe in a mist of salty steam. This makes you cough more deeply and produce sputum.</li><li>If you still do not produce enough sputum, you might have a procedure called <a test="test" href="./003857.htm">bronchoscopy</a>.
</li><li>To increase the accuracy, this test is sometimes done 3 times, often 3 days in a row.</li></ul><p>The test sample is examined under a microscope. This sputum stain test can give your doctor a quick answer. Another test, called a <a test="test" href="./003723.htm">culture</a>, is done to confirm the results. A culture test may take several weeks (6 to 10 weeks) to get results.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>How to Prepare for the Test</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-2" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-2"><p>Drinking fluids the night before the test helps your lungs produce phlegm. It makes the test more accurate if it is done first thing in the morning.</p><p>If you are having a bronchoscopy, follow your health care provider's instructions on how to prepare for the procedure.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>How the Test will Feel</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-3" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-3"><p>There is no discomfort, unless a bronchoscopy needs to be performed.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Why the Test is Performed</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-4" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-4"><p>The test is performed when the doctor suspects tuberculosis or other mycobacterium infection.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Normal Results</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-5" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-5"><p>Results are normal when no mycobacterial organisms are found.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>What Abnormal Results Mean</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-6" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-6"><p>Abnormal results show that the stain is positive for:</p><ul><li>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</li><li>Mycobacterium avium-intracellular</li><li>Other mycobacteria or acid-fast bacteria</li></ul></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Risks</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-7" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-7"><p>There are no risks with this test, unless bronchoscopy is performed.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Alternative Names</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-Alt" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-Alt"><p>Acid fast bacilli stain; AFB stain; Tuberculosis smear; TB smear</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section sec-mb"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Images</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-tnails" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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<li><img src="//medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/tnails/9945t.jpg" alt="Sputum test" title="Sputum test" class="side-img"/><a href="../imagepages/9945.htm">Sputum test</a></li>
</ul></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>References</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-Ref" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-Ref"><p>Rodino KG, Woods GL, Wengenack NL. Mycobacteria. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. <em>Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods</em>. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 59.</p><p>Shete PB, Cattamanchi A, Yoon C. Tuberculosis: clinical manifestations and diagnosis. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. <em>Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine</em>. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 53.</p></div></div></section>
<section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Review Date 12/4/2022</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-version" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
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<div id="section-version" class="section-body"><p>Updated by: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. </p>
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