Clinical significance of smear positivity for acid-fast bacilli after >= 5 months of treatment in patients with drug-susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis

摘要

Patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) with acid-fast bacilli (AFB)-positive sputum smear at 5 months or later during treatment are considered to be cases of treatment failure according to World Health Organization guidelines. This study evaluated the proportion, clinical characteristics, and significance of positive sputum smears after >= 5 months of standard treatment in patients with drug-susceptible pulmonary TB.