Reporting AFB through sputum smear microscopy16
| Seen on slide | Result | Positive (grading) | Bacterial load |
|---|---|---|---|
| More than 10 AFB per field | POS | 3+ | Heavy |
| 1–10 AFB per field | POS | 2+ | Medium |
| 10–99 AFB in 100 fields | POS | 1+ | Low |
| 1–9 AFB in 100 fields | POS | Record actual number | Very low |
| No AFB in 100 fields | NEG | 0 | Nil/not seen |
AFB, acid-fast bacillus; NEG, negative; POS, positive.