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Open Access Pretreatment sputum smear grade and smear positivity during follow-up of TB patients in Ahmedabad, India [Short communication]

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In Ahmedabad, India, a retrospective record review was undertaken among 2842 sputum smear-positive tuberculosis patients registered for treatment from April to September 2011 to assess the association of pretreatment sputum smear grade with sputum positivity and the additional yield of a second sputum sample during each follow-up examination. Respectively 39%, 26%, 28% and 7% of patients had pretreatment sputum grade 3+, 2+, 1+ and scanty. The higher the pretreatment sputum grade, the higher the proportion found positive during various follow-up periods. Overall, the additional yield of the second sputum sample was <2%; it did not vary with pretreatment smear grading.

Keywords: incremental yield; pretreatment sputum smear grade; sputum smear positivity

Document Type: Research Article

Affiliations: 1: Department of Health, Government of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, India 2: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, South-East Asia Regional Office, New Delhi, India 3: World Health Organization Country Office for India, New Delhi, India 4: Resource Group for Education and Advocacy for Community Health, Chennai, India

Publication date: December 21, 2013

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  • Public Health Action (PHA), The Union's quarterly Open Access journal, welcomes the submission of articles on operational research. It publishes high-quality scientific research on health services, providing new knowledge on how to improve access, equity, quality and efficiency of health systems and services.

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