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Hospital Management of Tuberculosis in a Region With a Low Incidence of Tuberculosis and a High Prevalence of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Barbara D. Alexander ,
Jason E. Stout ,
L. Barth Reller  and
Carol Dukes Hamilton
Barbara D. Alexander*
Affiliation:
Departments of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
Jason E. Stout
Affiliation:
Departments of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
L. Barth Reller
Affiliation:
Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
Carol Dukes Hamilton
Affiliation:
Departments of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
*
Box 3038, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710
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Abstract

We prospectively assessed the management of patients with suspected tuberculosis (TB) in an area with a high prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and a low incidence of TB. Clinicians' assessments were sensitive for TB but had poor predictive value. The acid-fast smear was a weak predictor of TB, owing to a high rate of isolation of NTM.

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 22 , Issue 11 , November 2001 , pp. 715 - 717
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2001

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