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Prevalence of pulmonary mycoses among patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

*Salim, A. B., and Nabila, M. I.

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, PMB 3011, Kano, Nigeria

*Correspondence to: ahmadbsalim@gmail.com; +2348033731917

Abstract:

Background: Opportunistic fungal infections have been implicated among patients with tuberculosis (TB). Coexistence of pulmonary mycoses and pulmonary TB is of public health concern as they exhibit similar clinical manifestations among infected patients, which contributes to increased misdiagnosis and makes management difficult, especially in TB-prone regions like Kano, Nigeria. Thus, this study was aimed at determining the prevalence of pulmonary mycoses among patients with suspected pulmonary TB attending the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Kano State, Nigeria.                                                Continue reading “Prevalence of pulmonary mycoses among patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Kano, Nigeria”

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An evaluation study of the sputum smear concentration technique for the laboratory diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

H.L.F Kamga, P Weledji, N.P Fon, A.S Atah

 

Abstract

The microbial diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis plays a key role in routine treatment and Tuberculosis control Programmes in developing countries. Many patients have presented with signs and symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis, of which consecutive direct sputum smear microscopy have given negative results for Acid-Fast Bacilli (AFB). Microscopy of smears made directly from sputum has a low sensitivity and there is an urgent need for improved methods. This study was carried out at the Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital and is aimed at evaluating the sputum smear concentration technique in the laboratory diagnosis of pulmonary TB. Sputum samples were collected in screw-cap tight containers and evaluated by both the direct and concentrated methods. Microscopy of direct smears of sputum after liquefaction with 5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution; and concentration of the organisms by centrifugation were compared and evaluated. Results showed an increase in sensitivity from 18.27% to 25% with a specificity of 90.95%. The tuberculosis prevalence was 25%. 13.33% belongs to the age range 20-40 years and 11.67% to the age range >40 years. The positive predictive value was 73%. We concluded that the use of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in the concentration of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in sputum significantly improves the laboratory diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Keywords: Sputum smear concentration, Laboratory diagnosis, Pulmonary tuberculosis

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An evaluation study of the sputum smear concentration technique for the laboratory diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

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Studies On The Distribution Of Clinically Diagnosed Pulmonary Tuberculosis In Ebonyi State, Nigeria

RK Obi, AN Amadi, IM Idika, FC Nwanebu

 

Abstract

A study was conducted between January, 2005 to December, 2006 to ascertain the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis among patients who attended chest clinics in some randomly selected hospitals, Clinics and Health Centers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Investigations were carried out using the two popular diagnostic criteria for pulmonary tuberculosis namely the specific Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) methods and chest X-ray. A total of 962 patients with clinical signs and symptoms of tuberculosis were studied. Out of this figure, 559 (58.1%) had pulmonary tuberculosis with 1:1 male/female ratio. There was no significant difference between ZN sputum smear positive and chest x-ray in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in the studied population at 95% confidence level. The possible reasons for the high prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis may be attributed to increase in the incidence of HIV/AIDS, high rate of poverty, emergence of drug-resistant strains of Mycobacteria and to a lesser extent, smoking and diabetes

Keywords: Pulmonary tuberculosis, sputum, chest X-ray, Ziehl Neelsen

African Journal of Clinical and Experimental Microbiology Vol. 10 (2) 2009: pp. 80-87

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