No acid fast bacilli

The AFB result takes 6-8 weeks. I have never heard of one in 24 hours. I go to NJH twice a year and in between I send my sputum samples to them for testing. Respiratory and Fungal come back first then AFB.

Respiratory culture results come after about a week, fungal culture after 4 weeks and AFB after about two months

As I understand it, the results given quickly by your lab were AFB smear results. My lab does the same within 24 hours and then I wait up to 6-8 weeks for AFB culture results.

Hi @sarahlynn1960. My understanding is that the initial test, the acid fast concentrate smear, is for tuberculosis, and the results take less than 24 hours; the sample is then incubated for 42 days for the AFB culture. So there's some good news!

@tcd518 yes as one that has done AFB cultures, the initial report is for a smear that stains bacteria that are acid fast which includes mycobacteria as well as other species that are AFB positive. It is encouraging to be smear negative but doesn't mean that cultures are going to be negative. I have never had positive smear but occasionally positive culture with low numbers of MAC.

@nicholslg I noticed you came on Mayo in 2024 per the private page.
You indicated low numbers of MAC.

Were you are you on watchful waiting???
Have you taken the antibiotics to get to low numbers????
Do you a feeling of the mucus just hanging out, clinging, in your throat/trachea such that you are nearly constantly wanting to clear your throat???

I am continuing with watchful waiting with a couple of results of the MAI not showing. Waiting for the February submission sputum report.
Barbara

@blm1007blm1007
Watchful waiting agreed upon by NJH, Vanderbilt BE/NTM speciality clinic, and local ID specialists. Never had the big 3. At times it does seem to want to stick in trach or throat which required strong coughing.

@nicholslg Thank you for your reply.
Sounds like you were/are fortunate to have/had NHJ Denver involved and Vanderbilt BE/NTM clinic and their ID specialists.
I take it you neb the saline.
Any special things that they instructed you to do to clear, etc., that are maybe good to pass on if different than what we have heard and read on Mayo Connect???
Barbara

I follow positional drainage but one thing I do that helps the most is adding a type of positional drainage. I bring my knees to my chest, put my arms around them and press to my chest.
This puts pressure on hemidiaphram that presses against lungs.

Well dang, my culture showed pseudomonas after a few days. Wonder what else it’s going to grow?!🤨 Luckily I’m going to National Jewish Hospital (ha no acronym👍) this week, so I’m eager to learn more about the situation.