title: Viability of stored sputum specimens for smear microscopy and culture.
abstract: A laboratory study was performed to determine how long sputum specimens from smear-positive tuberculosis patients can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator and retain a positive acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear or a positive mycobacterial culture. Sputum samples from 30 patients were examined up to 4 weeks and samples from 13 patients examined up to 8 weeks. Provided samples had not dried out, all sputum smears remained AFB positive up to 4 and 8 weeks. In both patient groups, at 4 weeks 37-39% of specimens at room temperature grew mycobacteria compared with 54-67% of specimens stored in the refrigerator. These results have implications for tuberculosis programme policy.
authors.affiliation: National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Community Health, Science Unit, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Banda
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Harries
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Boeree
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Nyirenda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Salaniponi
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D012034:Refrigeration; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D013696:Temperature