Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Screening tuberculosis suspects using two sputum smears.

A D Harries1, N B Mphasa, C Mundy

  • 1National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Community Health Science Unit, Lilongwe, Malawi.

The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease : the Official Journal of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
|February 2, 2000
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

CT scanning of middle ear cholesteatoma: what does the surgeon want to know?

The British journal of radiology·2002
Same author

First crystallographic signature of amyloid-like fibril forming beta-sheet assemblage from a tripeptide with non-coded amino acids.

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)·2002
Same author

Audit of stapedectomy results in a district general hospital.

Clinical otolaryngology and allied sciences·2002
Same author

Coronary artery disease and its problems in management.

Journal of the Indian Medical Association·2002
Same author

Leucopenia in adult polycystic kidney disease patients on haemodialysis.

Nephron·2002
Same author

Traditional healers and their practices in Malawi.

Tropical doctor·2002
Same journal

Rifamycin-based regimens for preventive treatment in low TB incidence countries.

The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease·2026
Same journal

The Kochi Declaration 2024 - A catalyst for global TB elimination through private sector engagement.

The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease·2026
Same journal

Preventing lung function decline and pleural thickening after pleural TB: a systematic review.

The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease·2026
Same journal

Aircraft contact investigations for TB on domestic and inbound flights to the United States.

The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease·2026
Same journal

Treatment outcome of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in critically ill patients with pulmonary TB.

The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease·2026
Same journal

Factors associated with sputum culture positivity of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>.

The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease·2026
See all related articles

Screening tuberculosis (TB) suspects with two sputum smears is as effective as using three. This strategy reduces laboratory workload and saves costs, making it a viable alternative for TB diagnosis.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Infectious Disease Epidemiology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating efficient diagnostic strategies.
  • Sputum smear microscopy is a cornerstone of TB diagnosis, but optimizing the number of smears is crucial for resource-limited settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of a two-sputum smear screening strategy for tuberculosis suspects compared to the traditional three-sputum method.
  • To assess the impact on laboratory workload and costs associated with different sputum examination protocols.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study was conducted at Ntcheu District Hospital, Malawi, over two 6-month periods.
  • The two-sputum smear strategy was implemented and compared against the existing three-sputum smear strategy for screening TB suspects.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • The detection rate of smear-positive TB suspects was similar between the two-sputum (16%) and three-sputum (16%) strategies.
  • A 29% reduction in the total number of sputum smears examined was observed with the two-sputum strategy.
  • Significant cost savings in consumables were achieved with the two-sputum strategy (USD $521 vs. USD $731).

Conclusions:

  • Screening tuberculosis suspects using two sputum smears is diagnostically equivalent to using three smears.
  • The two-sputum strategy offers substantial benefits by reducing laboratory workload and associated costs, enhancing diagnostic efficiency in resource-constrained environments.