The prevalence of pulmonary parenchymal tuberculosis in patients with tuberculous pleuritis

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and characteristics of parenchymal tuberculous pleuritis in adult patients. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Three hospitals affiliated with Seoul National University in South Korea. PATIENTS: All patients > 15 years old with a diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis were enrolled prospectively between January 1, 2004, and October 31, 2004. INTERVENTIONS: Diagnostic thoracocentesis and CT of the chest were done for each patient. Acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smears and cultures for Mycobacterium tuberculosis were requested if patients produced any sputum. A board-certified radiologist reviewed the chest radiographs for the presence and characteristics of any lesions. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: One hundred six patients with tuberculous pleuritis were enrolled (median age, 53 years; range 16 to 89 years). Among them, 33 patients (31%) had sputum or bronchial washing findings positive for AFB smears or for M tuberculosis by culture. Lung parenchymal lesions were observed in 91 of the patients (86%) using chest CT; 39 patients (37%) with parenchymal lesions had radiographic characteristics of active pulmonary tuberculosis. In total, 62 patients (59%) had bacteriologically or radiographically active pulmonary tuberculosis. In addition, 78 patients (74%) had features of reactivated pulmonary tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: Lung parenchymal lesions were more common in this series of patients with tuberculous pleuritis than has been reported in previous studies. The patients mostly had radiographic features of reactivated, rather than primary, tuberculosis.     

The validity of acid-fast smears of gastric aspirates as an indicator of pulmonary tuberculosis.

SETTING: A tuberculosis referral hospital in Canada. OBJECTIVE: To determine the validity of acid-fast (AFB) smears of gastric aspirates (GA) in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, and to assess the prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in GA isolates from such patients. DESIGN: A retrospective case review of our experience with AFB smears (Kinyoun) and cultures of GA and sputum over a 3-year period. RESULTS: From 1994 to 1996 inclusive, 1155 GA were performed in 889 patients. Mycobacteria were cultured from 109 (9%) GA. Thirteen of these were positive on smear (sensitivity 19%). All GA that were positive on smear were culture positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. There were no false positive smears (specificity 100%). The sensitivity and specificity of the sputum smear were 45% and 99%, respectively. Of the 96 culture positive, smear negative GA, 54 grew M. tuberculosis and 42 grew an NTM. Of 13 patients who had sputum and GA studied coincidentally, and in whom the sputum was both smear and culture positive, the GA culture was positive in 13 and the smear was positive in eight (66%). CONCLUSION: AFB smear of GA is a relatively insensitive but highly specific indicator of pulmonary tuberculosis warranting institution of antituberculosis treatment. Gastric AFB smear positivity appears to reflect a high bacillary burden within the respiratory tract.     

The significance of the persistent presence of acid-fast bacilli in sputum smears in pulmonary tuberculosis.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Identification of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in the sputum smear at the completion of tuberculosis therapy is in some settings considered evidence of treatment failure. However, some patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) will have positive smear results with negative sputum culture results at the end of therapy. The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of persisting positive sputum smear results in patients with TB and to identify characteristics that distinguish patients with persistently positive sputum smear results who also had negative sputum culture results from patients identified as treatment failures. DESIGN: A population-based, historical cohort study with nested case control study. SETTING: British Columbia Division of Tuberculosis Control central case registry. PATIENTS: All 428 patients with culture-proven pulmonary TB in British Columbia over 7 years with sputum that was positive for AFB. METHODS: Review of laboratory data of all 428 patients, as well as clinical data of a subset of 30 patients with persistently positive smear results beyond 20 weeks. RESULTS: Sputum smears were positive for AFB in 205 patients (48%) at 4 weeks, in 30 patients (7%) at 20 weeks, and in 12 patients (3%) at 36 weeks. Of the patients with smear results that were persistently positive at 20 weeks, 23 (77%) had negative sputum culture results and 7 (23%) had positive sputum culture results (ie, they were treatment failures). Patients identified as treatment failures had more localized disease as shown on chest radiographs, had less radiographic improvement at follow-up, had a higher prevalence of drug resistance, and were less compliant with medications than patients with persistently positive smear results and negative culture results. No subject with a negative culture result relapsed over the 6- to 48-month observation period. CONCLUSION: Sputum that is persistently positive for AFB in patients in developed countries is more likely to be associated with negative culture results than with treatment failure.     

The value of bronchial lavage in patients with radiologically suggestive pulmonary tuberculosis with no sputum production and gastric lavage smear negativity

We assessed whether acid-fast bacilli (AFB) investigation in bronchial lavage (BL) contributes to diagnosis in patients with gastric lavage smear negative and radiologically suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis. Eighty-three patients were recruited for the study, five cases were excluded due to diagnosis of inactive disease or non-tuberculosis disease. The remaining 78 patients were evaluated. All patients were unable to expectorate sputum and their gastric lavages were negative for AFB. BL was performed for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in all patients. Bronchial lavage smear were positive in 15.4%(12 patients). BL culture positivity was 58.3%(42 patients) and gastric lavage culture positivity was 33.3%(26 patients). Eighteen cases had both gastric lavage and BL culture positivity. BL culture was positive in 24 cases who had gastric lavage culture negativity. We suggest that in cases who do not produce sputum and whose gastric lavage smears are negative; BL should be performed for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.     

Prevalence and risk factors associated with tuberculin skin test positivity among household contacts of smear-positive pulnionary tuberculosis cases in Umerkot, Pakistan.

STUDY POPULATION AND SETTING: Household contacts of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) sputum smear-positive tuberculosis patients in the Umerkot Taluka, Sindh, Pakistan. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of and identify risk factors associated with tuberculin skin test (TST) positivity among household contacts of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis cases. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of household contacts of AFB sputum smear-positive tuberculosis cases, registered at the Umerkot Anti-Tuberculosis Association clinic from August 1999 to September 1999. The contact's Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection status was assessed using TST. On the day of the TST, a pre-designed questionnaire was administered to collect data on putative risk factors for TST positivity among contacts. The data were analysed using a marginal logistic regression model by the method of generalised estimating equations (GEE) to determine risk factors independently associated with TST positivity. RESULTS: The prevalence of TST positivity among household contacts of AFB sputum smear-positive index patients was 49.4%. The final multivariate GEE model showed that contact's age and sleeping site relative to the index case, the intensity of the index case's AFB sputum-smear positivity and the contact's BCG scar status were independent predictors of TST positivity among household contacts of AFB sputum smear-positive index cases. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the household contacts of AFB sputum smear-positive tuberculosis patients in a poor neighbourhood of rural Sindh had a high prevalence of M. tuberculosis infection as determined by TST. Poor housing conditions seem to contribute to the spread of M. tuberculosis infection. Early diagnosis of pulmonary TB through evaluation of TST-positive household contacts, followed by appropriate therapy, may prevent further spread of M. tuberculosis infection. We recommend an awareness programme to prevent household contacts from acquiring M. tuberculosis infection from smear-positive pulmonary TB cases.     

Bronchoscopic aspiration and bronchoalveolar lavage in the diagnosis of sputum smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis

The ability to make a definitive diagnosis in sputum smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis by bronchoscopic aspiration, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and examination of postbronchoscopy sputum were compared. Thirty-four patients with lesions on chest x-rays suspected of being pulmonary tuberculosis were entered into the study. The diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis was subsequently confirmed in 28 patients and the method of arriving at the final diagnosis was analyzed. A positive acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear result was obtained in 4/28 (14%) of cases by a combination of bronchoscopic techniques and postbronchoscopy sputum examination. Prebronchoscopy sputum culture was positive in 12/28 (43%). Combined with bronchoscopy specimens, a positive AFB culture result was obtained in 26/28 (93%). Sputum examination, bronchoscopic aspiration, and BAL are complementary techniques and together they give a high yield of definitive diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.     

Bronchoscopic aspiration and bronchoalveolar lavage in the diagnosis of sputum smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis

The ability to make a definitive diagnosis in sputum smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis by bronchoscopic aspiration, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and examination of postbronchoscopy sputum were compared. Thirty-four patients with lesions on chest x-rays suspected of being pulmonary tuberculosis were entered into the study. The diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis was subsequently confirmed in 28 patients and the method of arriving at the final diagnosis was analyzed. A positive acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear result was obtained in 4/28 (14%) of cases by a combination of bronchoscopic techniques and postbronchoscopy sputum examination. Prebronchoscopy sputum culture was positive in 12/28 (43%). Combined with bronchoscopy specimens, a positive AFB culture result was obtained in 26/28 (93%). Sputum examination, bronchoscopic aspiration, and BAL are complementary techniques and together they give a high yield of definitive diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.     

New recommendations for duration of respiratory isolation based on time to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis in liquid culture.

It was hypothesised that the time to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis in liquid culture of sputum from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis may be a better indicator for the duration of respiratory isolation than sputum smear status. Pre-treatment and during-treatment sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear and culture results were reviewed in 284 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. The time to detect M. tuberculosis in liquid culture (TTD-TB) was the number of days from inoculation of the Mycobacterial Growth Indicator Tube to culture detection and visualisation of AFB. The median (interquartile range) TTD-TB for smear group 0 (no bacilli seen) was 14 (12-20) days. This value was used as the standard at which release from isolation could be permitted. In smear group 4 (>9 AFB per high-power field (hpf) in sputum specimens before treatment) patients, the TTD-TB exceeded 14 days after a median of 25 days of treatment. The current authors recommend that patients in smear groups 1 and 2 (1-9 AFB per 100 hpf and 1-9 AFB per 10 hpf in sputum specimens before treatment, respectively) receive treatment in respiratory isolation for 7 days, provided the risk of drug resistance is low. Smear group 3 (1-9 AFB per hpf) and 4 patients should receive treatment in respiratory isolation for 14 and 25 days, respectively. These criteria would have reduced the duration of respiratory isolation by 1,516 days in the 143 study participants with sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis. Provided clinical and radiographical criteria are satisfactory, use of the time to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis in liquid culture could enable the duration of respiratory isolation to be predicted from the pre-treatment sputum smear grade. The recommendations enable isolation to end well before sputum becomes smear negative, with considerable benefits to patients and healthcare providers.     

Induced sputum improves the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in hospitalized patients in Gaborone, Botswana

SETTING: Low sensitivity of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) sputum smears and absence of productive cough are obstacles to the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in hospitals that lack access to bronchoscopy. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate induced sputum, gastric content, blood and urine specimens to improve PTB diagnosis in patients not diagnosed by expectorated sputum AFB smears. DESIGN: Patients admitted to the medical wards of a large public hospital in Gaborone, Botswana, were prospectively enrolled if they had symptoms consistent with PTB, an abnormal chest radiograph, were treated empirically with anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy or had no improvement on antibiotics, and had a non-productive cough or AFB smear-negative sputum. Induced sputum was stained for AFB and Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures were performed on induced sputum, gastric contents, urine and blood. RESULTS: Of 140 patients meeting the enrollment criteria, 113 (81%) were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive. Fifty-seven (41%) had PTB based on positive cultures from one or more sites, including 48 (84%) from induced sputum, 17 (30%) urine, 13 (23%) gastric contents and 7 (12%) blood. AFB smears were positive in only 18 (32%) culture-proven PTB cases. CONCLUSION: Induced sputum cultures greatly enhanced M. tuberculosis detection in patients with a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in a hospital without access to bronchoscopy.     

不同技术联合检测痰液和胸腔积液对结核性胸膜炎的诊断价值

目的 研究不同技术联合检测痰液和胸腔积液对结核性胸膜炎的诊断价值。方法 收集2014年1月至2017年3月首都医科大学附属北京胸科医院收治的临床诊断为结核性胸膜炎的1955例患者,其中1232例(63.02%)有肺部实质病变,723例(36.98%)无肺部实质病变,通过抗酸杆菌涂片镜检(简称“涂片法”)、改良固体培养法和BACTEC MGIT 960液体培养(简称“培养法”)和Xpert MTB/RIF技术(简称“Xpert法”)单独及联合检测患者痰液和胸腔积液中结核分枝杆菌的阳性检出率,并分析肺部实质病变对结核分枝杆菌检测阳性率的影响。结果 1955例结核性胸膜炎患者同时采用涂片法进行痰液和胸腔积液检测者中有535例(27.37%)患者、353例(18.06%)采用培养法、294例(15.04%)采用Xpert 法,188例(9.62%)患者同时进行了涂片法+培养法+Xpert法检查。涂片法、培养法和Xpert法单独检测胸腔积液结核分枝杆菌的阳性率[3.18%(17/535)、15.30%(54/353)、19.05%(56/294)]明显低于3种方法联合检测痰液+胸腔积液的阳性率[21.87%(117/535)、43.63%(154/353)、47.62%(140/294)](χ ²值分别为85.31、68.16、54.00,P值均<0.01)。在有肺部实质病变的患者中,涂片法、培养法、Xpert法单独检测胸腔积液中结核分枝杆菌的阳性率[3.82% (13/340)、16.30% (37/227)和23.91% (44/184)]明显低于3种方法单独检测痰液的阳性率[30.29% (103/340)、51.10% (116/227)、60.33% (111/184)](χ ²值分别为84.19、61.53、50.04,P值均<0.01)和联合检测痰液+胸腔积液的阳性率[分别为32.06% (109/340)、55.95% (127/227)、67.93% (125/184)](χ ²值分别为92.06、77.32、71.79,P值均<0.01)。以培养为金标准,涂片法、培养法和Xpert法检测痰液+胸腔积液的敏感度[48.36%(59/122)、79.38%(77/97)、80.49%(66/82)]明显高于单独检测胸腔积液的敏感度[8.20%(10/122)、26.80%(26/97)、26.83%(22/82)](χ ²值分别为48.52、53.84、47.47,P值均<0.01);检测痰液+胸腔积液的特异度较单独检测胸腔积液有所下降,其中涂片法检测的差异无统计学意义(χ ²=3.65,P=0.056);而Xpert法和涂片法+Xpert法检测的差异均有统计学意义(χ ²=4.71,P=0.030;χ ²=5.67,P=0.017)。 结论 联合检测痰液和胸腔积液中结核分枝杆菌的阳性检出率高于单独检测,对于疑似结核性胸膜炎的患者,应尽量进行痰液标本的检测,以提高对结核性胸膜炎诊断的参考价值。     

689例住院老年结核的临床研究

目的通过对老年肺结核患者的临床症状、胸片表现、痰检及PPD皮试等、治疗进行分析,探讨老年肺结核的发病特点。方法对2000~2004年临床收治的60岁及以上的689例老年肺结核患者的临床资料进行分析。结果①临床症状不典型:除69例患者无任何表现,体检时被发现诊断为肺结核外,多以咳嗽(78.2%)、咳痰(59.5%)、胸闷、气喘(49.1%)、咯血(38.6%)等呼吸道表现为症状。结核中毒症状除发热(48.2%)外,而盗汗、乏力等症状不甚明显。②合并症多:伴有一种或多种合并症的为576人,占86.3%。③病程迁延漫长,最长35年。④涂阳率高,占47.0%。⑤不正规抗痨治疗者多。结论全社会要加强对老年肺结核的研究,增强对老年肺结核特点的认识,提高其早期诊断和防治效果。     

A retrospective study for the outcome of pulmonary resection in 49 patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Outcome of treatment using only chemotherapy for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is usually considered not to be satisfactory. The combination of chemotherapy with surgical treatment has been producing higher acid-fast bacilli (AFB) negative sputum conversion and longer survival rates. This treatment strategy may be the solution for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of the medical records and laboratory findings of 49 patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among 130 patients who underwent pulmonary resection for pulmonary tuberculosis between January 1995 and December 1999 at National Masan Tuberculosis Hospital, Korea. RESULTS: The mean number of drugs to which the patients were resistant was 4.5. Patients had a mean age of 35 years. Cavitary lesions on plain chest X-ray were shown in 43/49 patients (87.8%); 31 had positive sputum cultures preoperatively (63.3%). The surgical techniques used were as follows: 12 pneumonectomies, 28 lobectomies, seven lobectomies with segmentectomies or wedge resections, one wedge resection and one cavernoplasty. The AFB negative sputum conversion rate was 93.5% with continuous postoperative chemotherapy. There were no deaths after surgery. Postoperative complications that developed were six cases of air leakage over a week, one of postoperative bleeding and one of wound infection. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the effectiveness of pulmonary resection with postoperative chemotherapy in cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Although there are different ideas about indications for surgery and the length and content of postoperative drug regimens, pulmonary resection should be considered an effective measure in combination with chemotherapy for treatment of multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis.     

The role of bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients at risk for HIV infection.

The present study was undertaken to clarify the role of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and transbronchial biopsy (TBB) in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We retrospectively identified 31 patients at risk for HIV who proved to have Mycobacterium tuberculosis on culture of at least one pulmonary specimen. All had pulmonary symptoms but initial sputum smears negative for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). All underwent fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB), including BAL and TBB; postbronchoscopy sputum was also collected in 19 patients. A specimen was considered to yield an immediate diagnosis when positive for AFB either on smear or histologic study; granulomas alone were considered positive when no other causes were identified. Overall, an immediate diagnosis was made by bronchoscopic specimens in 15 (48 percent) of 31 cases. TBB was the sole positive specimen in seven patients (23 percent). For comparison, similar specimens from 40 patients in whom M avium complex (MAC) grew on culture were also evaluated. An immediate identification of AFB was made in only four patients (10 percent). We conclude that the finding of AFB on staining of any pulmonary specimen is highly suggestive of tuberculosis, rather than MAC, and warrants institution of antituberculosis therapy. Of all bronchoscopic specimens, TBB provides the highest yield for an immediate diagnosis of tuberculosis.     

Viability of stored sputum specimens for smear microscopy and culture.

A laboratory study was performed to determine how long sputum specimens from smear-positive tuberculosis patients can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator and retain a positive acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear or a positive mycobacterial culture. Sputum samples from 30 patients were examined up to 4 weeks and samples from 13 patients examined up to 8 weeks. Provided samples had not dried out, all sputum smears remained AFB positive up to 4 and 8 weeks. In both patient groups, at 4 weeks 37-39% of specimens at room temperature grew mycobacteria compared with 54-67% of specimens stored in the refrigerator. These results have implications for tuberculosis programme policy.     

Tuberculosis in chronic renal failure in Jeddah

OBJECTIVE: Immunocomprised patients with chronic renal failure haemodialysis have been reported to be at increased risk of developing tuberculosis. The purpose of this study was to monitor the development of tuberculosis in patients with chronic renal failure that have not yet been dialysed, presenting at the Renal Clinic of the King Khalid National Guard Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: Eighty patients with chronic renal failure were followed up for a period of 3 years and were carefully monitored for the development of tuberculosis. Mantoux test, chest radiograph and sputum examinations were performed at the beginning of the study and every 6 months thereafter. RESULTS: At the end of 3 years, eight out of 80 patients (10%) had developed tuberculosis, confirming the high incidence of tuberculosis in this group of patients. All the eight patients who developed tuberculosis before being started on dialysis had relatively low creatinine clearances. No particular underlying renal disease was associated with the development of tuberculosis. Four patients developed pulmonary tuberculosis, two renal tuberculosis and one each cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis and tuberculous meningitis. All patients responded satisfactorily to anti-tuberculosis therapy, as diagnosis was established early. CONCLUSION: Routine screening for tuberculosis is recommended for patients with chronic renal failure presenting at Renal Units, and tuberculosis chemoprophylaxis should be considered for those undergoing haemodialysis, particularly in countries with a high incidence of tuberculosis.     

Clinical profile of pulmonary nocardiosis.

Pulmonary nocardiosis mimics pulmonary tuberculosis in both clinical symptoms, being chronic in nature and radiological characteristics, and it is often wrongly treated with anti-tuberculosis drugs. The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of pulmonary nocardial infection in patients having chronic chest symptoms and to study their clinical response to specific chemotherapeutic agents. All the patients, who had a negative sputum for AFB on direct smear examination consecutively, were investigated for nocardiosis by examining the sputum with KOH preparation and modified Ziehl-Neelsen method. This was later confirmed by fungal culture of the sputum and inoculation on McClung's broth for paraffin baiting technique. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy was performed on all the suspected cases and the bronchial aspirate was examined similarly. The confirmed cases of nocardiosis were treated with cotrimaxazole and doxycycline for a total duration of six months. The prevalence of pulmonary nocardiosis in the present study was 1.9 percent. All the patients were immunocompetent. All the patients showed a good clinical response to chemotherapy at the end of six months of treatment. No relapse has been observed on follow up.     

HIV co-infection, CD4 cell counts and clinical correlates of bacillary density in pulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Sputum microscopy for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) is the commonest diagnostic method for pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in developing countries. The method is reported to be less sensitive in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive compared to negative patients. We determined the bacillary density in sputum of smear-positive PTB patients and related it to the patients' HIV status, CD4 cell count, clinical and demographic characteristics. METHODS: Three sputum samples per patient were examined using microscopy before initiating therapy. The AFB density was graded according to World Health Organization recommendations. The smear with the highest density was used. High bacillary density was defined as >10 AFB/field. HIV status and CD4 cell count were determined according to the national guidelines. RESULTS: Of 844 patients, 433 (51.3%) were HIV-positive. High bacillary density was significantly less common among HIV-positive (39.0%) than -negative (75.7%) patients (prevalence ratio 0.52; 95%CI 0.45-0.59, P < 0.0001). Among HIV-positive patients, the proportion of those with high bacillary density increased progressively with CD4 cell counts (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: HIV is associated with lower AFB concentration in sputum. The AFB density falls with falling CD4 cell count. Microscopy for AFB in sputum may be less sensitive in diagnosing PTB when HIV infection is present, especially in severely immunocompromised patients.     

2月末结核分枝杆菌阳性初治肺结核患者菌型鉴定结果分析

目的分析深圳市南山区2月末结核分枝杆菌阳性肺结核患者的分枝杆菌分布情况,为诊断与治疗分枝杆菌感染提供参考依据。方法 2013年1月至2015年12月深圳市南山区痰结核分枝杆菌阳性的初治肺结核患者治疗2月末仍结核分枝杆菌阳性患者进行菌型鉴定并进行结果分析。结果 617例结核分枝杆菌阳性肺结核患者经2个月强化期治疗后,46例患者出现2月末结核菌阳性,其中涂片阳性为33例,涂片阴性而培养阳性为13例;涂片阳性患者中19例培养阴性,10例为结核药物敏感菌,4例为非结核分枝杆菌;涂阴培阳患者中1例为结核药物敏感菌,12例为非结核分枝杆菌;16例非结核分枝杆菌经分型鉴定后,7例脓肿分枝杆菌,9例戈登分枝杆菌。结论肺结核患者可能继发非结核分枝杆菌感染,抗结核治疗2月末肺结核病人应及时留取痰标本做结核菌涂片,培养和菌种鉴定,为进一步诊断和制定个体化疗方案提供依据。     

The value of fluorescence microscopy of auramine stained sputum smears for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

Laboratory diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis rests on the bacteriological examination of sputum smears stained by the Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) method for acid fast bacilli (AFB). In the present study, we have compared light microscopy of ZN stained smears with that of fluorescence microscopy of sputum smears stained by auramine-phenol flurochrome dye for detection of AFB in sputum specimens. Sputum specimens from a total of 2,600 clinically suspected and diagnosed cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were examined by both the methods. Sputum specimens from a total of 1,104 patients were found to be positive for AFB. These included sputa from 975 (37.5%) patients positive for AFB by both ZN and auramine staining methods and sputa from an additional 129 (4.96%) patients positive for AFB by auramine staining only. Thus auramine staining of sputum smears in comparison to that of ZN staining is a better method of sputum microscopy for demonstration of AFB in sputum specimens. Fluorescence microscopy is relatively more sensitive and has the added advantage of allowing a large number of sputum specimens to be examined in a given time, in laboratories equipped with a fluorescent microscope.