Paucibacillary tuberculosis--a retrospective study

Paucibacillary tuberculosis poses difficulty in the treatment and control of tuberculosis. The present study aims at understanding the extent of such cases among the patients, with respiratory symptoms, attending the outpatient department of the VP Chest Institute, Delhi. The analysis is based on the smear and culture examination of the sputum specimens, submitted from such patients during 1992-1998. Present results demonstrate that 34.8% were paucibacillary (direct smear negative; culture positive cases). Sex has no influence on smear examination results. The frequency of smear negative cases varied in the different age groups; the largest number belonged to the > or = 45 years age group (p < 0.05). Culture examination elicited positive result in these cases.