TB Culture Blood Test Marylebone
From 1 October 2026 — until then book at South Kensington or St Paul's. South Kensington · St Paul's
£102
Confidential Results
Secure online portal
Fast Results
up to 8 weeks"
Professional Service
Experienced phlebotomists
Wimpole Street, Marylebone (opening 1 October 2026)
Opening hours from 1 October 2026
- Monday
- 9am – 6pm
- Tuesday
- 9am – 8pm
- Wednesday
- 9am – 6pm
- Thursday
- 9am – 8pm
- Friday
- 8am – 5pm
- Saturday
- 10am – 4pm
- Sunday
- Closed
- Bond Street — about 6 minutes (Central, Jubilee & Elizabeth lines)
- Oxford Circus — about 7 minutes (Central, Bakerloo & Victoria lines)
Wimpole Street, Marylebone
TB Culture is a bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections test concerned with tuberculosis diagnosis, mycobacterium tuberculosis and lung infection test, run on a sputum sample. At Wimpole Street it is priced at £102 for everyone and, from 1 October 2026, a nurse or phlebotomist takes the sample at 22 Wimpole Street, Marylebone. The laboratory quotes up to 8 weeks; the report, with reference ranges, is delivered to your secure portal for you to discuss with your GP or a clinician.
TB Culture’s place in bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections testing
- Sample
- sputum sample
- Laboratory turnaround
- up to 8 weeks
- Appointment
- 20 minutes
- Standard price
- £102
Preparing for your TB Culture
- 1No fasting is needed for most tests, but Helicobacter pylori stool antigen requires two weeks off acid-suppressing tablets and four weeks off antibiotics.
- 2Antibody tests for Lyme disease are often negative in the first few weeks; a sample four to six weeks after the bite is more informative.
- 3Follow the specific collection instructions for swabs, sputum or stool, which the nurse will explain.
Sample for this test: sputum sample.
What TB Culture measures
TB Culture is most often requested in connection with tuberculosis diagnosis, mycobacterium tuberculosis and lung infection test, which is why it sits within the bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections group at Wimpole Street.
This group covers tests that identify infections other than viruses: antibodies to bacteria such as Borrelia (Lyme disease), Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Brucella, Legionella and Helicobacter pylori; PCR and culture that detect the organism directly, including TB, whooping cough, Group B streptococcus and MRSA; and antibody or antigen tests for parasites and fungi such as Toxoplasma, Strongyloides, Aspergillus and Candida. Interferon-gamma release assays (TB Quantiferon) measure the immune response to tuberculosis rather than the bacterium itself. Precipitin tests look for immune reactions to inhaled organic dusts.
Who considers TB Culture
- People often consider these tests if they have a spreading rash or flu-like illness after a tick bite.
- A cough lasting more than three weeks, night sweats or weight loss may prompt TB testing, as may pre-employment or visa requirements.
- Persistent indigestion or stomach pain commonly leads to Helicobacter pylori testing.
- Those who work with birds, soil or in farming sometimes check for organism-specific antibodies or precipitins.
- Pregnant women may be offered Group B streptococcus swabs late in pregnancy.
Understanding your TB Culture results
A positive antibody result can indicate current or past infection depending on the class of antibody and the organism; for Lyme disease a positive screen is confirmed by immunoblot before conclusions are drawn. Culture and PCR results identify the organism and, for culture, its antibiotic sensitivities, which helps guide treatment. A positive TB Quantiferon shows exposure to tuberculosis at some point and needs clinical assessment and a chest X-ray to distinguish latent from active infection.
Infection tests are interpreted alongside the timing of exposure, symptoms and examination; a negative result early in an illness does not exclude infection.
Related areas of testing at Wimpole Street: viral infections and immunity, tropical and travel medicine, swab tests, stool tests.
Pricing
TB Culture
Individual test
Total
£102Payment is collected at the clinic. The phlebotomy fee is charged once per visit, regardless of the number of tests booked.
From booking the TB Culture to reading your result
- 1
Choose your test
Select the TB Culture and any others you want run from the same visit. Until 1 October 2026 the identical test can be booked at South Kensington or St Paul’s.
- 2
Nurse-led sample
From 1 October 2026 the sputum sample is taken at 22 Wimpole Street, Marylebone by our nursing team, led by Precious Agbonmamwen, Registered Adult Nurse (NMC 20H1641E). Identity is checked and any preparation questions answered first.
- 3
UKAS-accredited laboratory
The sample travels to a UKAS-accredited partner laboratory, whose methods and reference ranges match those used across the NHS and private sectors.
- 4
Laboratory report to your secure portal
The laboratory report is released to your secure portal — typically from 24 hours; the laboratory quotes up to 8 weeks for this test. It shows each value against the reference range and flags anything outside it; discuss the report with your GP or a clinician.
Why test at Wimpole Street
Wimpole Street Medical & Dental opens at 22 Wimpole Street on 1 October 2026. Medical services are for patients aged 16 and over; registration with the CQC is in progress ahead of opening.
Wimpole Street, Marylebone (opening 1 October 2026)
- Bond Street — about 6 minutes (Central, Jubilee & Elizabeth lines)
- Oxford Circus — about 7 minutes (Central, Bakerloo & Victoria lines)
- One standard price applies to everyone — there is no members’ tier at Wimpole Street.
- Analysis is carried out by a UKAS-accredited partner laboratory, so methods and reference ranges match those used across the NHS.
- Repeat or additional tests can usually be added to the same visit rather than requiring a second appointment.
Other tests often considered alongside TB Culture
- Toxoplasma by PCRWimpole Street, Marylebone · from 1 October 2026
- Urine for Extended CultureWimpole Street, Marylebone · from 1 October 2026
- Yersinia AntibodiesWimpole Street, Marylebone · from 1 October 2026
- Anti-Streptolysin Titre/ASOTWimpole Street, Marylebone · from 1 October 2026
- Beta D GlucanWimpole Street, Marylebone · from 1 October 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
A sputum sample. A nurse or phlebotomist collects it at 22 Wimpole Street, Marylebone from 1 October 2026; the appointment allows time for identity checks and any preparation questions. The laboratory quotes up to 8 weeks for this test.
Ready to Book Your Test?
Wimpole Street opens 1 October 2026. Register your interest for the Marylebone diary, or book the same test now at South Kensington or St Paul's.
Important information about the TB Culture at Wimpole Street
- Medical services at Wimpole Street Medical & Dental are for patients aged 16 and over.
- This is a self-referral service: you choose the test and book directly — no GP referral is needed.
- Nurse-led by Precious Agbonmamwen, Registered Adult Nurse (NMC 20H1641E), who oversees sample-taking standards, infection control and the patient pathway. The nursing team does not interpret results.
- A laboratory result is not a diagnosis and this page is not a substitute for medical advice. We do not provide clinical interpretation of results — please discuss your report with your GP or a clinician, particularly if a value is flagged or you have symptoms.
- CQC registration for Wimpole Street is in progress ahead of the opening on 1 October 2026; our South Kensington and St Paul’s clinics are CQC registered.
- Your results are held on a secure portal and treated as strictly confidential, except where disclosure is required by law.
- If you are seriously unwell, call 999. For urgent advice that is not an emergency, call NHS 111.
