title: The diagnostic yield of acid-fast-bacillus smear-positive sputum specimens.
abstract: The yield of mycobacterial culture from acid-fast-bacillus smear-positive sputum specimens was 387 or 439 (88.2%). Forty-nine of 52 culture-negative specimens came from patients on treatment. We conclude that the yield of culture from smear-positive sputum specimens is very high and that only two acid-fast-bacillus smear-positive specimens are needed for the initial evaluation of pulmonary mycobacteriosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Denver Health, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Burman
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Hildred
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jarboe
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Reves
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology