Asian Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology & Environmental Sciences Paper

Vol 9, Issue 1, 2007; Page No.(75-77)

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DIRECT AND CONCENTRATED ACID FAST SMEARS OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS CULTURE POSITIVE SPECIMENS

ASHISH K. ASTHANA AND ANITA PANDEY

Abstract

Tuberculosis retains its foothold among human populations despite increasing implementation of highly effective diagnostic and control measures an )und the world. Ala ,f ,1 ion), yevolved molecular diagnostic techniques for detection of mycobacterium species are available, acid fast staining remains the gold standard. We compared the sensitivity of smears from culture positive specimens for detection of made directly from respiratory specimens of 510 patients to that obtained with parallel smears ma( le from concentrating the specimens (concentrated A.F.B. smear). Two major hospitals of Meerut city, Chit tterpa ti Shivaji Subharti Hospital and Lok-Priya I lospital were selected and samples were processed as per WHO guidelines. In our finding 356 samples grew on Lowenstein- Jensen Media. In which only 242 were tuberculosis positive. On comparing M. tuberculosis positive specimens by microscopy, we found only 24.8% direct smear were positive for acid-fast bacilli. It can thus be concluded that concentration method was significantly more sensitive than direct smear method, in detecting the positive case. Hence, it may he better to observe concentrated smear samples instead of observing I red smears to declare a tilherculosis 1,,Mt.nt free from disease.

Enter your contact information below to receive full paper.
Your Name :
Email:
Phone:
City:
Cost of Full Paper: Rs.150 for Indian Nationals or $20 (USD) for international subscribers.
By clicking on Request Paper you Agree to pay the above mentioned cost per paper.