TY - JOUR
T1 - Acid-fast staining of urine and gastric contents is an excellent indicator of mycobacterial disease
AU - Klotz, S. A.
AU - Penn, R. L.
PY - 1987
Y1 - 1987
N2 - It is a commonly held opinion that acid-fast staining of urine or gastric aspirates is not a reliable indicator of mycobacterial disease because of the presence of saprophytic mycobacteria. In order to determine the clinical usefulness of acid-fast staining of these body fluids, we reviewed our 10-yr experience with acid-fast stains. Forty-seven of 5,829 urine specimens (0.8%) and 39 of 309 gastric aspirates (12.6%) yielded mycobacteria on culture. Twenty-three urine specimens and 12 gastric aspirates had positive acid-fast stains. Of these, only one possible false positive acid-fast stain of urine (< 1%) was found and none was found in gastric aspirates. Thus, acid-fast stains of urine and gastric aspirates are, when positive, reliable indicators of true mycobacterial disease.
AB - It is a commonly held opinion that acid-fast staining of urine or gastric aspirates is not a reliable indicator of mycobacterial disease because of the presence of saprophytic mycobacteria. In order to determine the clinical usefulness of acid-fast staining of these body fluids, we reviewed our 10-yr experience with acid-fast stains. Forty-seven of 5,829 urine specimens (0.8%) and 39 of 309 gastric aspirates (12.6%) yielded mycobacteria on culture. Twenty-three urine specimens and 12 gastric aspirates had positive acid-fast stains. Of these, only one possible false positive acid-fast stain of urine (< 1%) was found and none was found in gastric aspirates. Thus, acid-fast stains of urine and gastric aspirates are, when positive, reliable indicators of true mycobacterial disease.
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U2 - 10.1164/ajrccm/136.5.1197
DO - 10.1164/ajrccm/136.5.1197
M3 - Article
C2 - 2445232
AN - SCOPUS:0023200319
SN - 0003-0805
VL - 136
SP - 1197
EP - 1198
JO - American Review of Respiratory Disease
JF - American Review of Respiratory Disease
IS - 5
ER -