Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a pandemic and half of the cases are in six Asian countries. WHO estimates that at least one third of the world population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is a major health issue; its treatment is more expensive of a longer duration and gives less than ideal cure rates with higher relapse rates. In this study all patients who were not responding to medical treatment of ATT were assessed. A total of 74 case sheets from the outdoor patient clinic selected, of which 73% (54 cases) of cases were male and 27% (20 cases) cases were female. Data collected in heading of Smear, culture and sensitivity and PCR reaction. 86 % (64 cases) cases were sputum positive, out of which 76.6 % (49 cases) were male and 23.4 % (15 cases) female. 72.9 % (54 cases) sample was positive on culture, out of which male were 76 % (41 cases) and female 24 % (13 cases). All sample were positive for PCR, out of which 75.7 % (56 cases) were male and 24.3 % (18 cases) were female. Segregation of data done according to category. Immunocompromised status was taken in account and only 1 patient found HIV positive and was a case of pulmonary tuberculosis. At present, it can be concluded that the smear is cheap and rapid method of detecting mycobacterium tuberculosis but it has a very low sensitivity. Culture is more sensitive but it takes a longer time to give results while PCR is specific, rapid, more sensitive but expensive technique, and it should only be used in difficult cases where diagnosis become a challenge.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v4i2.19
