Use of acid-fast bacilli staining to determine the need for airborne infection isolation precautions: A comparison of respiratory specimens

Christina Silkaitis; Laura Bardowski; Cara Coomer; Kathryn Trakas; Mary Alice Lavin; Susheel Reddy; Maureen K. Bolon; Teresa R. Zembower

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2014.08.005

Use of acid-fast bacilli staining to determine the need for airborne infection isolation precautions: A comparison of respiratory specimens

Christina Silkaitis^*, Laura Bardowski, Cara Coomer, Kathryn Trakas, Mary Alice Lavin, Susheel Reddy, Maureen K. Bolon, Teresa R. Zembower

^*Corresponding author for this work

Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Institution of appropriate airborne infection isolation (AII) precautions for patients with suspected Mycobacterium tuberculosis is critical to prevent disease transmission. We compared the yield of acid-fast bacilli smears from different types of respiratory specimens and found that smear sensitivity was highest for specimens obtained by endotracheal aspirates (92%), followed by sputum (79%), and then by bronchoalveolar lavage (37%). As a result of this study, our institutional policy regarding discontinuation of AII precautions was amended.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1244-1246
Number of pages	3
Journal	American Journal of Infection Control
Volume	42
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2014.08.005
State	Published - 2014

Keywords

Acid-fast bacilli
Isolation precautions
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Respiratory specimens

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Infectious Diseases
Health Policy
Epidemiology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.ajic.2014.08.005

Cite this

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title = "Use of acid-fast bacilli staining to determine the need for airborne infection isolation precautions: A comparison of respiratory specimens",

abstract = "Institution of appropriate airborne infection isolation (AII) precautions for patients with suspected Mycobacterium tuberculosis is critical to prevent disease transmission. We compared the yield of acid-fast bacilli smears from different types of respiratory specimens and found that smear sensitivity was highest for specimens obtained by endotracheal aspirates (92\%), followed by sputum (79\%), and then by bronchoalveolar lavage (37\%). As a result of this study, our institutional policy regarding discontinuation of AII precautions was amended.",

keywords = "Acid-fast bacilli, Isolation precautions, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Respiratory specimens",

author = "Christina Silkaitis and Laura Bardowski and Cara Coomer and Kathryn Trakas and Lavin, \{Mary Alice\} and Susheel Reddy and Bolon, \{Maureen K.\} and Zembower, \{Teresa R.\}",

year = "2014",

doi = "10.1016/j.ajic.2014.08.005",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "42",

pages = "1244--1246",

journal = "American Journal of Infection Control",

issn = "0196-6553",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Use of acid-fast bacilli staining to determine the need for airborne infection isolation precautions

T2 - A comparison of respiratory specimens

AU - Silkaitis, Christina

AU - Bardowski, Laura

AU - Coomer, Cara

AU - Trakas, Kathryn

AU - Lavin, Mary Alice

AU - Reddy, Susheel

AU - Bolon, Maureen K.

AU - Zembower, Teresa R.

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Institution of appropriate airborne infection isolation (AII) precautions for patients with suspected Mycobacterium tuberculosis is critical to prevent disease transmission. We compared the yield of acid-fast bacilli smears from different types of respiratory specimens and found that smear sensitivity was highest for specimens obtained by endotracheal aspirates (92%), followed by sputum (79%), and then by bronchoalveolar lavage (37%). As a result of this study, our institutional policy regarding discontinuation of AII precautions was amended.

AB - Institution of appropriate airborne infection isolation (AII) precautions for patients with suspected Mycobacterium tuberculosis is critical to prevent disease transmission. We compared the yield of acid-fast bacilli smears from different types of respiratory specimens and found that smear sensitivity was highest for specimens obtained by endotracheal aspirates (92%), followed by sputum (79%), and then by bronchoalveolar lavage (37%). As a result of this study, our institutional policy regarding discontinuation of AII precautions was amended.

KW - Acid-fast bacilli

KW - Isolation precautions

KW - Mycobacterium tuberculosis

KW - Respiratory specimens

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M3 - Article

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EP - 1246

JO - American Journal of Infection Control

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IS - 11

ER -

Use of acid-fast bacilli staining to determine the need for airborne infection isolation precautions: A comparison of respiratory specimens

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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