Table 4

Effect of treatment on test result over nine months in a cohort of 15 patients

Months
Patient (sex)Test123456789 Comments
Aur, auramine staining; c, contaminated culture; Cul, culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; INH, isonicotinic acid hyrazide; IVDU, intravenous drug user; TB, tuberculosis.
MA (male)LCx− − − −− − + + + −+ +Alcoholic liver disease, pulmonary TB, 12 months treatment, non-adherent, clinical resolution slow
Aur− − − −− − − − − −+ +
Cul− + − −+− − − − − −+ +
SB (male)LCx+ + + +Alcoholic, pulmonary TB non-adherent to treatment, at 7 months erratic treatment but tests negative
Aur+ + + +
Culc + + +
JC (male)LCx+ ++ + + ++Pulmonary TB. Uncomplicated treatment course, lasting 6 months, fully compliant
Aur+ ++ + + ++
Cul+ ++ + + ++
SF (male)LCx+++HIV+, pulmonary TB, failed supervised treatment, continues on regimen of 1st and 2nd line anti-TB drugs in combination
Aur++
Cul+++
AH (male)LCx− − − − −− − −+Reactivated pulmonary TB, psoas abscess with B pseudomallei. Non-adherent, slow resolution
Aur− − − − −− − −
Cul− − − − −− + c
HJ (female)LCx− + −Pulmonary TB, non-adherent, poor tolerance to anti-TB drugs, 9 months' treatment, slow resolution
Aur− − −
Cul+ + ++
MK (female)LCx− −+ − −Miliary TB and cerebral cryptococcosis, refused HIV test. 6 months' treatment, TB resolved
Aur− −− − −
Cul− −+ + −+
JK (male)LCx− −− − −− −HIV+, strain resistant to INH, on quadruple treatment >1 year, no resolution
Aur+ −− − −− −
Cul++ +− − +− −
DL (male)LCx− −+ +HIV+, Kaposi's sarcoma on chemotherapy, reactivated pulmonary TB 9 months' treatment resolved
Aur− −+ +
Cul− −+ +
MM (male)LCx+ + −Post renal transplant, pulmonary and metacarpal joint TB, 9 months' treatment resolved
Aur− − −
Cul+ + −
JM (male)LCx+ + ++Alcoholic, non-adherent, needed supervised treatment, 9 months course for pulmonary TB
Aur+ + +
Cul+ + ++
AP (male)LCx+ + −− − −Alcoholic myopathy, previous pulmonary TB, reactivation, completed 8 months course of treatment.
Aur− − −− − −
Cul− − −− − −
KR (male)LCx− + ++ + ++ + +Miliary TB, cavitating lung lesions, hepatitis, poor tolerance to anti-TB drugs, slow resolution
Aur− − −− − −− − −
Cul− − c− − −− − −
FS (male)LCx+ + +− − −IVDU, presented with lung abscess positive for TB, 9 months of treatment, adherent, slow to resolve
Aur+ − −− − −
Cul+ + −− − −
AW (male)LCx++ + ++ + +HIV+, pulmonary TB, non-adherent after 3 months' treatment, progressive disease. Died
Aur+− − −− − −
Cul++ − −− − −
WZ (male)LCx+ + +Homeless, pulmonary TB, non-adherent to treatment for 2 months, re-housed, supervised 6 months' treatment
Aur− − −
Cul+ − −