Preferred Specimen(s) 3 mL CSF or 6 mL body fluid or urine or 2 g tissue
Instructions:
Tissues: Collect aseptically as much as possible, up to 2 grams. Specimen must be kept moist with transport media, saline, broth or buffer. Tissues fixed in formalin or paraffin blocks are not acceptable. Fluids: Collect aseptically as much as possible, up to 150 mL. Gastric lavage fluids: Collect 5-10 mL of an early morning specimen, before food or water intake, in a sterile container without preservative. Adjust to normal pH with 100 mg of sodium carbonate within 4 hours of collection. Un-neutralized specimens are not acceptable. Separate specimens collected on 3 consecutive days are recommended.
Transport Container Plastic screw-cap leak proof container, for blood use lavender top EDTA tube
Transport Temperature Refrigerated (cold packs) 5 days
Reject Criteria Received room temperature
Methodology Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
Clinical Significance: This is an amplified method used to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex nucleic acid in the raw specimen. It is used to aid the physician in the rapid diagnosis and treatment of a possible tuberculosis infection. A negative result does not rule out disease.
Results should be supported by additional alternate testing.