The resurgence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in association with HIV infection has focussed much attention in the rapid diagnosis of high risk cases. Infection with HIV is known to alter the presentation of pulmonary tuberculosis. The present study was under taken to compare the efficacy of fluorochrome stain (Fl) with conventional Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) stain in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Two hundred cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were included in the study. Sputum smears were screened for acid fast bacilli (AFB) by ZN and Fl methods and blood samples were screened for HIV. Sputum positive cases detected by Fl stain were higher in number (69%) when compared to ZN stain (50%). Of the total cases studied 15.5% were HIV seropositive.
Conclusions: Fluorochrome staining was found to be more efficient (45%) when compared to ZN staining (29%) in detecting cases associated with HIV seropositivity, especially paucibacillary cases.