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What Causes Sputum Test To Be Positive Even After Tuberculosis Treatment?
doctor i have tuberculosis and after 2 months of treatment one of my sputum tests still positive, now im still taking medications up to third month, just want to know what are the cause of this doctor cause i religiously take my medicines. is the sputum test more important than chest xray?
Thu, 25 Sep 2014
Hi,
Thanks for writing in to us.
Sputum test is most important in diagnosis of TB if still positive after two months of treatment. You need to discuss the test results with your doctor. There must be some improvement in the number of bacilli in the sputum examination. Chest X ray is an imaging test and tells the condition of lungs. Sputum test is the actual visibility of bacilli causing TB present. There might be drug resistant TB which should be treated with other medications. Please consult a TB specialist.
Thanks for writing in to us.
Sputum test is most important in diagnosis of TB if still positive after two months of treatment. You need to discuss the test results with your doctor. There must be some improvement in the number of bacilli in the sputum examination. Chest X ray is an imaging test and tells the condition of lungs. Sputum test is the actual visibility of bacilli causing TB present. There might be drug resistant TB which should be treated with other medications. Please consult a TB specialist.
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