The Center of Excellence for Tuberculosis Testing implements all quality performance standards required to safely and effectively culture Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent for Tuberculosis (TB). To perform such testing, NRL has ensured that its laboratory, with intricate design, containment, and equipment capabilities, comply with requirements for a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory. This set up will enable NRL to also test for other diseases of global concern, such as SARS Coronavirus, Brucella, and Yellow fever.
NRL is one of the first standalone reference laboratories based in the UAE to offer a comprehensive TB test menu in a single one-stop-shop location. The high-quality liquid culture TB testing methodology that is used at our center can accurately identify a positive result within 7 days and a true negative in six weeks - versus traditional methods which can take up to 8 weeks.
In addition, we offer tests for the susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to common drugs, which is required for the early identification of multidrug-resistant TB, essential for the quick determination of the most appropriate therapy regimen for patients with MDR-TB and maximizing their chance of recovery.
Please see below a comprehensive list of TB tests now available at NRL.
The TB laboratory is located at our main testing site at ICAD, Abu Dhabi, within the frames of the Microbiology laboratory.
NRL Test Code |
Order Code Name |
CPT Codes |
Specimen type |
Volume |
Specimen container |
Storage |
Specimen Stability |
TAT |
New tests |
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9924055 |
Acid Fast (Mycobacteria) Smear |
87206 |
Any clinical material
Note: Please call Micro lab for blood or bone marrow samples |
5 mL sputum or respiratory aspirate, 2 cm³ tissue, 5 mL CSF, 50 mL body fluid (eg, gastric aspirate/lavage, urine, pleural, pericardial, chronic peritoneal dialysate), 10 mL stool, biopsy of skin |
Sterile container |
Refrigerate |
72 hours at 2-8 °C |
1 day |
9924063 |
Acid Fast (Mycobacteria) Smear and Culture with Reflex to ID and Susceptibility |
87116; 87206, If reflexed, add 87556; 87798 |
Sterile container |
Refrigerate |
72 hours at 2-8 °C |
6 weeks |
||
9924061 |
Acid Fast (Mycobacteria) Smear and Culture with Reflex to ID |
87116; 87206, If reflexed, add 87556; 87798 |
Sterile container |
Refrigerate |
72 hours at 2-8 °C |
6 weeks |
||
9924057 |
Acid Fast (Mycobacteria) Culture and Identification |
87116, identification will be performed by alternate means at an additional charge (CPT code(s) 87118 or 87158) |
Sterile container |
Refrigerate |
72 hours at 2-8 °C |
6 weeks |
||
9924059 |
Acid Fast (Mycobacteria) Antibiotic Susceptibilities |
87190(x4). Variable depending on identification |
Pure culture isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. |
1 culture medium |
Growth should be from a positive MGIT™ tube (i.e. instrument flagged “positive” MGIT™ tube confirmed as positive for the presence of acid-fast bacilli), a non-selective solid agar medium, or an egg-based medium (i.e. Middlebrook 7H11, Lowenstein-Jensen, etc). |
Ambient |
NA |
13-21 days |
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Existing tests |
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183244 |
QuantiFERON TB Gold (Client Incubated) |
86480 |
Blood -venipuncture |
1 ml x 3 tubes |
Quantiferon TB Gold tubes |
After incubation, maintain specimen at room temperature. Do not centrifuge or refrigerate |
Incubated: 72 hours at 2 - 27°C before centrifugation, once centrifuged can be stored for 4 weeks at 2 - 8°C |
2 days |
182873 |
QuantiFERON TB Gold (In-tube) |
86480 |
Blood -venipuncture |
1 ml x 3 tubes |
Quantiferon TB Gold tubes |
After incubation, maintain specimen at room temperature |
Non-incubated: 16 hours at room temperature |
2 days |
51060 |
MTB NAA Patient Preparation: 1. Have the patient rinse his or her mouth twice with water. 2. Open the lid on the sputum collection container.3. Have the patient inhale deeply, cough vigorously, and expectorate the material into the container. Avoid spills or soiling the outside of the container.4. Secure the lid on the collection device, and then send the container to the processing area. |
87556 |
Respiratory specimens |
4.0 ml |
Sterile Container |
Refrigerate |
Store and transport specimens at 2 to 8°C prior to processing whenever possible. However, if necessary the specimens can be stored at a maximum of 35°C for ≤3 days and at 2 to 8°C for 4 to 10 days. |
2 days |
Clinical significance
Mycobacteria, especially Mycobacterium tuberculosis, are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Tuberculosis, spread by inhalation of airborne particles, is a serious public health threat.
It is important to be able to detect and identify mycobacteria in clinical specimens in a timely and accurate manner. It has been demonstrated the recovery of mycobacteria is enhanced by use of automated broth culture systems such as the BACTEC MGIT 960 system.
Most mycobacteria grow at a relatively slow rate; therefore, the acid fast smear plays an important role in the early diagnosis of mycobacterial infections. Also, the acid-fast stain serves to confirm the acid-fast nature of the recovered organisms and monitor patients on antimycobacterial therapy