INVESTIGATION FOR TUBERCULOSIS
General Information
Microscopy is available on the following day (Monday -Friday) or on the same day if urgent. Positive cultures are notified by telephone. Negative reports are issued after 6 weeks (incubation continues but further negative reports are not made).
Rapid liquid culture, in addition to culture on solid Lowenstein-Jenson media is incorporated as a routine for the majority of sample types. Molecular methods are used to provide rapid identification of microscopy positive and culture positive specimens. They are used routinely on respiratory tract samples (excluding tissue). They are occasionally used on microscopy positive tissue samples and microscopy/culture negative specimens after discussion with a consultant microbiologist.
Early morning urine samples are occasionally useful for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Three early morning urine samples should be sent when TB is suspected (less than 3 samples or a mid-stream specimen are inadequate and will not be normally processed for TB). Relevant clinical information must be provided on the request form.
Blood Culture bottles for disseminated mycobacterial infection are available from the microbiology laboratory (discuss with microbiologist or Dr William Hope prior to their use).
