The laboratory should recommend collecting three sputum specimens for acid-fast smears and culture in patients with clinical and chest x-ray findings compatible with tuberculosis. These three samples should be collected at 8-24 hour intervals and should include at least one first morning specimen. Specimens must be delivered to the laboratory promptly; specimens that cannot be processed within one hour of the time of collection should be refrigerated during transport to and storage in the laboratory prior to processing. This will decrease overgrowth with contaminating organisms likely to be present