QBC F.A.S.T. TB Products

QBC F.A.S.T. TB Products: Features and Benefits

Further information on the QBC F.A.S.T. TB Products

QBC Fluorescence and Staining Technologies (F.A.S.T.) TB products are unique systems of reagents, supplies, and instruments that allow users to more easily and effectively utilise the time-proved benefits of fluorescence microscopy in tuberculosis detection. F.A.S.T. kits include specially developed technologies that provide significant advantages over conventional TB Staining methods. The F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain Kit has been designed to simplify the TB specimen staining process, providing brightly fluorescing acid fast bacilli in less than 3 minutes. The patent pending SureFocus™ Microscope Slides included in each kit are designed with fluorescent markers that can help provide users with confidence in the acuracy of results as well as a guide for determining the number of fields viewed.

Proven Performance

Auramine O based staining of smears for TB detection has been used for decades and is a mainstay for TB fluorescence microscopy. When stained with Auramine O, the acid fast bacteria (AFB), which cause TB to fluoresce brightly against a dark background, allows microscopists to easily identify them using lower magnification and with less eye strain than bright field methods, such as Ziehl-Neelsen staining. The F.A.S.T. Auramine O staining method further improves this technology with reagents that produce results comparable to conventional methods in significantly less time.

SureFocus slides offer assurance to those just learning fluorescence microscopy, and also the most experienced of microscopists, by providing a definitive focal starting point, focal references throughout the examination area, and potentially minimizing the reporting of false negative results. Moreover, the fluorescent markers provide milestones that examiners can use to ensure that the correct number of fields-of-view are read and also will provide a means to ensure overall system quality with built-in positive fluorescence signal.

Altogether, the benefits of the F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain Kit and the SureFocus Slides provide a significant advantage over bright field and conventional fluorescence microscopy methods.

The Complete F.A.S.T. TB System

Complete F.A.S.T. TB systems were developed to meet the diverse and unique needs of TB labs globally. F.A.S.T. kits, designed for optimal performance with the F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain Kit and the SureFocus slide, are available in several formats and contain the components necessary for the TB smear process, from collection to microscopy. Included in the QBC F.A.S.T. TB Smear kit are the F.A.S.T. Auramine O Stain Kit, SureFocus slides, sputum collection cups, applicator sticks, and acid fast control slides (an important tool for ensuring quality results). Kits are also available with digestion buffer, sterile sputum tubes, and sterile pipettes for labs that perform additional testing, such as culture. For labs building fluorescence microscopy capacity or making the switch from bright field microscopy, full instrument and disposables packages are available. These complete kits include the QBC F.A.S.T. TB Smear Kit along with the QBC F.A.S.T. Centrifuge and the QBC ParaLens Advance or the ParaLens Advance and a laboratory grade microscope.

QBC F.A.S.T. TB: Enhancing Sensitivity and Increasing Productivity

Whether the goal is to increase the sensitivity of TB detection or to streamline lab processes to facilitate higher productivity, the QBC F.A.S.T. TB system can help meet your lab's needs.

QBC F.A.S.T. TB Products: Documents