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Sputum Test submissions and outcome results
MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Feb 26 7:09pm | Replies (81)Comment receiving replies
@blm1007blm1007 & @kathyjjb My pulmonologist told me that with MAC/NTM "everywhere" it is not unusual to have very small amounts show up in my culture.
I have had 3 "positive" cultures since 2020 out of more than 12, but none with a significant amount of NTM. In 2 cases, where I submitted 2 cultures together, one was positive and the other negative. My last 2 samples, submitted at the same time, showed "positive" on the slide, but nothing grew on the long culture - we attributed that to probable contamination from saliva or environment.
I have an open order for sputum cultures, and vials at home, so I can submit samples whenever my mucus increases.
Replies to "@blm1007blm1007 & @kathyjjb My pulmonologist told me that with MAC/NTM "everywhere" it is not unusual to..."
@sueinmn doesn't it take 6 wks to get a sputum diagnosis? or is there somewhere where one could get it done faster? I really hate that long wait
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@sueinmn Hi Sue, that's encouraging. Prior to getting AFB results, NJH labs post the microscopic analysis which quantifies (rare, few, many) different types of bacteria (normal flora, gram negative or gram-positive cocci, rods etc.). One thing I have noticed is the times my AFB smear and culture come back positive, there are rare or few gram-positive rods. Reversely, when AFB is negative, there is no mention of gram-positive rods. Since, NTM are gram-positive rods-I feel I have some indication whether or not my culture will be negative or positive. What do you think? When I saw there were no gm + rods, I messaged nurse and she said AFB smear results have not been completed/posted.