[Variability and diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis].

Five hundred-ninety new cases of tuberculosis were analyzed in Republic Santariskiu Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital during 06 1997-06 2001. Mean age of patients - 47+/-30 years. All cases were classified based on international tuberculosis classification: pulmonary tuberculosis (A15, A16) - 409 cases; tuberculosis pleurisy (A15.6, A16.5) - 169; miliary tuberculosis (A19) - 11; generalized tuberculous lymphadenitis (A18.5) - 1. Pulmonary tuberculosis confirmed by sputum smear (A15.0) was prevalent in the structure of new tuberculosis cases (26.4%); pulmonary tuberculosis was confirmed by culture (A15.1) in 14.1%; by histology (A15.2) - in 10.3%. Unconfirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (A16) and tuberculous pleurisy (A16.5) amounted to 28.5%. Liver biopsy and positive sputum cultures for mycobacterias mostly confirmed tuberculosis diagnosis in miliary tuberculosis cases. From all tuberculous pleurisy cases in 65% the diagnosis was confirmed by bacteriology and/or histology.