title: Hospital management of tuberculosis in a region with a low incidence of tuberculosis and a high prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria.
abstract: We prospectively assessed the management of patients with suspected tuberculosis (TB) in an area with a high prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and a low incidence of TB. Clinicians' assessments were sensitive for TB but had poor predictive value. The acid-fast smear was a weak predictor of TB, owing to a high rate of isolation of NTM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Stout
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Reller
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hamilton
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology