Whats the turnaround time for an anthrax test in an environmental sample (if one wanted to confirm that a substance in an envelope was indeed anthrax)?
First is the transportation time: that is, the time it takes for samples to arrive in the laboratory in a form suitable for testing. The testing itself is a two-step process: the screening test and the confirmation test. If the sample is large and the concentration of bacteria is high, the initial screening test can produce positive results within two hours. The confirmation tests take longer; depending on how fast the bacteria grow, but are usually available 24-36 hours, but may be as soon as six hours, after a proper sample is received in the laboratory. You should wait for results before starting antibiotics. In the near future, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing method will be available will speed up testing. Currently field tests are not recommended due too many false positive and false negative results.
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