AFB Sputum I, II, III Test in Kathmandu

About this test

This test hunts directly for the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. Sputum coughed up from the lungs is smeared on a slide, stained by the Ziehl-Neelsen (or fluorescent auramine) method, and examined under the microscope for acid-fast bacilli — rod-shaped organisms that resist decolourisation and appear bright pink against a blue background, the visual signature of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Because the bacteria are shed unevenly and a single specimen can easily miss them, three separate samples (labelled I, II and III, ideally including an early-morning one) are examined to raise the chance of detection; results are graded from scanty to 3+ depending on how many bacilli are seen. A doctor orders it whenever pulmonary TB is suspected — a cough lasting more than two to three weeks, blood-stained sputum, drenching night sweats, low-grade evening fever, loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss. Nepal carries a high TB burden, and sputum microscopy remains the frontline diagnostic and the chief way the public-health programme confirms infectious cases, since smear-positive patients are the most likely to transmit the disease to family and close contacts. A positive smear strongly supports active TB and the need to start treatment, while negative smears do not fully exclude it — early or paucibacillary disease may need GeneXpert (which also detects rifampicin resistance), culture, or a chest X-ray to settle the diagnosis. The smear is also repeated during treatment to confirm the lungs are clearing and the patient is responding.

Sample type

Sputum (deep-cough, three separate samples)

Preparation

No fasting needed. The most important step is coughing up sputum from deep in the chest — not saliva or nasal mucus. We ask for three specimens: rinse your mouth with plain water first (no toothpaste or mouthwash), then take a slow deep breath and cough forcefully into the container. Early-morning samples are richest, so the first specimen collected just after waking gives the best yield. Bring all containers back to the lab promptly and keep them cool and upright until then.

Turnaround time

Reports for AFB Sputum I, II, III are typically ready within: Next Day. Reports can be collected at the clinic during opening hours or shared via WhatsApp once they are ready.

Also known as

Other microbiology tests we run

These are routinely ordered alongside AFB Sputum I, II, III 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.