Mycobacterial culture

A sample of body fluid or tissue is needed. This sample may be taken from the lungs, liver, or bone marrow.

Most often, a sputum sample will be taken. To obtain a sample, you will be asked to cough deeply and spit out the material that comes up from your lungs.

A biopsy or aspiration may also be done.

The sample is sent to a laboratory. There it is placed in a special dish (culture). It is then watched for up to 6 weeks to see if the bacteria grow.

Preparation depends on how the test is done. Follow your health care provider's instructions.

How the test will feel depends on the specific procedure. Your provider can discuss this with you before the test.

Your provider may order this test if you have signs of tuberculosis or a related infection.

If there is no disease present, there will be no growth of bacteria in the culture medium.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis or similar bacteria is present in the culture.

Risks depend on the specific biopsy or aspiration being performed.

Culture - mycobacterial

Fitzgerald DW, Sterling TR, Haas DW. Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 249.

Rodino KG, Woods GL, Wengenack NL. Mycobacteria. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 59.

Updated by: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.