title: [Should the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis be demonstrated before the treatment of patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis?].
abstract: In Denmark, treatment of tuberculosis is generally only recommended if the diagnosis is confirmed bacteriologically, which may cause a delay in treatment. We investigated the duration of the treatment delay, and if the delay would cause any serious health problems for the individual or risk of contact infections by a retrospective examination of 324 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. The mean treatment delay was longer in older age groups. Regarding death due to delay, we found no risk for the patients who are not weakened by old age or another disease. Only 11 (3.6%) above the age of ten years were treated without bacteriological confirmation (1% for Danes). The infection risk from the smear negative, but culture positive patients was minimal, as only one subject was definitely infected from a smear negative subject. In conclusion, we find the epidemiologic and individual risk sufficiently low to continue our rather restrictive treatment policy.
authors.affiliation: Lungemedicinsk afdeling, Bispebjerg Hospital, København.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nørregaard
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Grode
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Viskum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents
vernacular_title: Skal Mycobacterium tuberculosis påvises inden behandling af patienter mistaenkt for lungetuberkulose?