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Acid fast bacilli stain; AFB stain; Tuberculosis smear; TB smear
There are no risks, unless bronchoscopy is performed.
To increase the accuracy of this test, it is sometimes done three times, often three days in a row.
There are more sophisticated tests that are sometimes used to stain sputum for mycobacteria. Check with your health care provider to see if these are available in the laboratory.
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