The prevalence of acid-fast bacilli in a community hospital

To ascertain positivity of tuberculosis using Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) staining technique. A total of 900 sputum and 100 pleural fluid samples were collected from 620 male and 380 female patients for a period of two years. Controls were included using known positive and negative sputum and pleural fluid smears to check the efficiency of the carbol fuchsin dye, the staining technique and the microscopic examination. The treatment progress following the end of treatment for the specified period (usually six months) was done by re-examining sputum samples from the patients. Out of the 1000 samples examined, 520 (52%) were positive for Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) staining technique while 480 (48%) were negative. Three hundred of the positive samples (57.7%) were male while 220 (42.3%) were female. Protein value in pleural fluid was significantly (P<0.005) higher in AFB positive patients than in AFB negative patients. There was a high incidence of tuberculosis in the study population. This calls for an urgent attention from government and various organizations to reduce the incidence and spread of tuberculosis. (author)