Sputum smear examination and time to diagnosis in patients with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in the Pacific
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to determine the proportion of all tuberculosis (TB) cases that were pulmonary smear-negative, and for these patients to determine how many sputum smears were examined and the time from sputum smear examination to registration in Kiribati and the Marshall Islands, during 2006鈥�2010.The design was a retrospective cross-sectional study involving a record review of national TB and laboratory registers. The results showed that of 2420 TB cases identified, 709 (29%) were registered as smear-negative pulmonary TB. Of the 695 (98%) with information on smear examination, 222 (32%) had no smear recorded, 61 (9%) had one smear, 86 (12%) two smears and 326 (47%) three smears. Among the 473 patients who had at least one smear, 238 (50%) were registered before sputum examination, 131 (28%) within 1 week, 72 (15%) between 1 and 4 weeks, and 34 (7%) >4 weeks after sputum examination. It was concluded that NTPs in Kiribati and the Marshall Islands are diagnosing 29% of all TB patients as smear-negative pulmonary TB. Many patients do not have smears done or are registered before undergoing smear examination. Corrective measures are needed.
Citation
Viney, K.; Bissell, K.; Tabutoa, K.; Kienene, T.; Linh, N. N.; Briand, K.; Harries, A.D. Sputum smear examination and time to diagnosis in patients with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in the Pacific. Public Health Action 2 (4) 133-137.