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Table 3 Data on Patients with Positive Smears and Negative Cultures

From: Sensitivity of direct versus concentrated sputum smear microscopy in HIV-infected patients suspected of having pulmonary tuberculosis

Patient ID Admission CD4 Count Smear Resulta Final Diagnosis Treated for TB After Discharge? Status 2 Months After Discharge
   Direct Concentrated    
1 31   1+ TB Yes Improved
2 193   1+ TB Yes Improved
3 196   1+ TB Yes Improved
4 398   Scanty TB Yes Improved
5 687   3+ TB Yes Improved
6 110   1+ Aspergillus Yes No Improvement
7 3   1+ PCP Died in hospital Dead
8 5   Scanty Bacterial Pneumonia No Improved
9b 12 Scanty   Unknown Died in hospital Dead
10 31   1+ Unknown Died in hospital Dead
11 59   1+ Unknown Died in hospital Dead
12 81   Scanty Bacterial Pneumonia No Improved
13 399   1+ Unknown No No Improvement
  1. TB, tuberculosis; PCP, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia
  2. aScanty = 1–9 acid-fast bacilli (AFB) per 100 high-power fields (HPF), 1+ = 1–9 AFB per 10 HPF, 3+ = >10 AFB per HPF.
  3. bDirect smear alone was positive; for other patients, the concentrated smear alone was positive.
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