| Can I use F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain for specimens other than sputum? |
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Yes.
F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain works well for cerebral spinal fluid, bronchial lavage, and tissue sections as well as sputum.
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| Will F.A.S.T Auramine O Stain work for mycobacteria other than M. tuberculosis? |
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Yes.
F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain will stain both "slow" and "rapid" growing AFB like M. tuberculosis, M. gordonae, M. kansasii, M. avium, M. abscessus, and M. chelonae.
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| Can I stain slides with Ziehl-Neelsen stains after they have been stained with F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain? |
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Yes.
However, as with slides prestained with conventional Auramine O based stains, restaining slides for bright field microscopy could result in a decrease in sensitivity.
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| How long can I wait before I have to examine a sputum smear stained with F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain? |
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Slides should be examined as soon as possible.
We have examined slides for several hours after staining but the sensitivity has not been tested for non-standard lab protocols.
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| What is the shelf life of F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain? |
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F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain has a shelf-life of 1 year from the date of manufacturing when stored within the labeled temperature limits.
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| What are the storage requirements for F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain? |
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F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain should be stored at 15°C to 25°C.
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| Is F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain comparable to standard Auramine O stain? |
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Yes.
F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain results in stained bacilli that are as clear and bright as conventional Auramine O stains.
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| Can I buy F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain in dry format? |
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No.
F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain is not available in a dry format.
However, the unique formula does not contain alcohol, so the hazards associated with shipping are significantly reduced compared to other acid fast stains.
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| How long should I digest samples with F.A.S.T. Sputum Digestion Solution? |
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Samples should be digested for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Care should be taken to ensure that the sample is not digested for excess time.
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| How long is F.A.S.T. Sputum Digestion Solution good for once it is activated? |
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F.A.S.T. Sputum Digestion Solution can be used for 24 hours after it is activated.
The digestion reagent, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, is oxidized over time once it is in solution.
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| Will F.A.S.T. AFB Quality Control Slides work with other stains? |
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Yes.
We have tested F.A.S.T. AFB Quality Control Slides with conventional Auramine O and Ziehl-Neelsen stains.
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| What are the organisms on F.A.S.T. AFB Quality Control Slides? |
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The F.A.S.T. AFB Quality Control Slide positive control well contains an inactivated, heat fixed smear of M. tuberculosis.
The negative control well contains an inactivated, heat fixed smear of E. coli.
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| Can I buy the components of F.A.S.T. AFB Kits individually? |
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Yes.
Please contact the distributor responsible for your service area for details on pricing.
Distributor contacts by location can be found here.
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| Can I obtain a sample of F.A.S.T. AFB Kits? |
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Yes.
Please send an e-mail to qbcsales@qbcdiag.com and include "Free F.A.S.T. AFB Kits Sample" in the subject line.
Include your shipping information in the body of the email.
If you would also like to sample F.A.S.T. Sputum Digestion Solution, please indicate this in the e-mail as well.
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