Optimizing Mycobacterial Culture in Smear-Negative, Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Tuberculosis Cases.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant public health problem and the diagnosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals is challenging. The use of mycobacterial culture remains an important complementary tool and optimizing it has important benefits. We sought to determine the effect of an increase in the number of specimens evaluated, addition of nutritional supplementation to the culture medium, sputum appearance and volume on diagnostic yield and time to detection of pulmonary TB among smear-negative, HIV-infected adults.

Methods

In this prospective study conducted at the Tshwane District Hospital and Academic TB Laboratory, Pretoria, South Africa we collected three sputum specimens an hour apart from presumptive TB cases at an antiretroviral tr

SUBMITTER: Ismail NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4636182 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature