Comparative Analysis of Various Diagnostic Techniques for Tubercular Lymphadenitis: A Pilot Study from a Resource Poor Country

Opening of the article

Background: Tuberculosis lymphadenitis (LNTB) is the most common presentation of extra pulmonary tuberculosis. The main causative agents reported were predominantly Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb), closely related Mycobacterium bovis (M.bovis) and non-tu berculous mycobacteria (NTM). Over the past decade, a set of tedious cytological and microbiological diagnostic tests i.e..fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), microscopic smear examination & culture were used. Although FNAC & smear examination were rapid, but none of these techniques were able to differentiate between M.tb and other members of Mycobacterium spp.,which is highly essential for planning anti-microbial therapy programme.