Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) Test in Kathmandu

About this test

Adenosine Deaminase is an enzyme released mainly by activated lymphocytes, and measuring its activity in body fluid has become one of the most useful indirect tests for tuberculosis. When TB infects a body cavity, the immune response floods that space with T-cells, and ADA activity rises sharply. The test is most often requested on pleural fluid drawn from around the lungs, where a raised level strongly supports tuberculous pleural effusion rather than a bacterial, cardiac, or malignant cause. It is equally valuable in fluid from the abdomen (tuberculous peritonitis), the sac around the heart (tuberculous pericarditis), and in cerebrospinal fluid when tuberculous meningitis is suspected. Because TB remains common across Nepal and grows slowly in culture, a doctor will frequently order ADA to get an answer the same day rather than waiting weeks. It is typically requested when a patient has a fluid collection alongside fever, night sweats, weight loss, cough, or breathlessness, and when ordinary tests have not identified the cause. ADA is never read in isolation: your doctor interprets it together with the appearance of the fluid, its protein and glucose content, the cell count and lymphocyte proportion, imaging, and any direct evidence of the organism. A clearly raised result in the right clinical setting often justifies starting anti-tuberculous treatment, while a low value makes TB much less likely and points the search elsewhere. Cut-offs vary by fluid type and laboratory method, so the figure on your report is judged against the range we provide for that specific sample.

Sample type

Body fluid (pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, or cerebrospinal) or blood (serum)

Preparation

No fasting required. This test is usually run on fluid drawn during a tapping procedure (such as a pleural or ascitic tap) performed by your doctor; tell us the fluid type and the date it was collected, as the sample must reach the laboratory promptly.

Turnaround time

Reports for Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) are typically ready within: Same Day. Reports can be collected at the clinic during opening hours or shared via WhatsApp once they are ready.

Also known as

Other biochemistry tests we run

These are routinely ordered alongside Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) or as part of the same diagnostic workup.

How to book

WhatsApp is the fastest way — message us with the test name and your preferred time, and we'll confirm a slot the same day. You can also walk into the clinic at Rumba Chowk, Sanobharang any day between 7AM and 8PM, or fill in our online booking form.