Tuberculosis bacteriology: activities of Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

This study was made to evaluate the bacteriological methods used for the diagnosis and the tratment of pulmonary tuberculosis. The data were obtained by Instituto Adolfo Lutz Sorocaba in the period of 1980-1990. The direct microscopical examination was made in 26803 sputum samples from 11206 respiratory sintomatics. It was examined an average of 2.34 samples per pacient. 1147 new cases were discovered by microscopical examination. To the treatment control 28405 samples were obtained from patients in treatment and 1902 in the diagnosis. 274 new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were diagnosed by the culture only. From the 5563 positive cultures, 5431 strains belonged to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, 4 to the Mycobacterium avium – intracellulare complex and one was identífied as Mycobcterium szulgai. The sensibility test to the antituberculosis drugs was performed in 1668 strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It was found resistant strains in 16,53% of patients with no previous treatment and in 47,45% of patients in treatment. The authors concluded that it is important to have an organized and approppriated methodology of tuberculosis diagnosis in each region. In this case, the bacteriological methods would be of important help to the Tuberculosis Control Program.