Afb Isolation Rapid Culture Bronchoalveolar Lavage

In our study, we evaluated the significance of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in the early diagnosis of occult sputum smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis. We could establish the diagnosis of tuberculosis in 20 (87%) of the sputum smear negative samples with the help of BAL samples. Thus, BAL samples are very useful in early sputum smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis with minimal complications in the hands of an expert. Recommends the detection of acid fast bacilli (AFB) in respiratory specimens as the initial approach to the diagnosis of PTB. However many patients with suspected PTB do not produce sputum spontaneously or are smear-negative for AFB. Thus the diagnosis of TB in these patients is difficult, and in most cases they are treated empirically on the basis of clinical and radiographic findings. This empiric therapy may result in toxicity, increased drug resistance and delay in diagnosis and treatment of conditions other than TB when present. Bronchoscopy is more invasive and expensive than sputum examination, but can provide specimens from specific sites in the lung. Therefore, BAL plays an important role in patients with occult tuberculosis or other mimicking conditions. Several studies have compared the usefulness of different samples for arriving at an early diagnosis. This study was taken at a community hospital to evaluate the significance of bronchoalveolar lavage culture and acid fast staining as compared to sputum culture and staining for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.