What happens during AFB testing?
Your health care provider will need a sample of your sputum for both an AFB smear and an AFB culture. The two tests are usually done at the same time. To get sputum samples:
You will be asked to cough deeply and spit into a sterile container. You will need to do this for two or three days in a row. This helps make sure your sample has enough bacteria for testing.
If you have trouble coughing up enough sputum, your provider may ask you to breathe in a sterile saline (salt) mist that can help you cough more deeply.
If you still can't cough up enough sputum, your provider may perform a procedure called a bronchoscopy. In this procedure, you will first get medicine so you won't feel any pain. Then, a thin, lighted tube will be put through your mouth or nose and into your airways. The sample may be collected by suction or with a small brush.
