2007-01-14 00:02:25 · 2 answers · asked by Mayflor S 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
Active pulmonary TB.
2007-01-14 00:09:35 · answer #1 · answered by Blah? 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The presence of acid-fast bacteria indicates the presence of mycobacterium. There are several strains, but at a practical level they are divided into two groups: 1. mycobacterium tuberculosis, and 2. all the rest.
Acid-fast bacteria in the sputum is most likely to be mycobacterium tuberculosis, indicating active TB of the lungs. There is a possibility that it might be some other form of mycobacterium causing lung infection, especially if the patient has a defective immune system because of medication or chronic disease. Culture of the bacterium is necessary to distinguish between mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria.
2007-01-14 01:14:47 · answer #2 · answered by cxln 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋