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 - 2014/1/1
Y1 - 2014/1/1
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
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84927660878&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84927660878&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ajic.2014.08.005
DO - 10.1016/j.ajic.2014.08.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 25248484
AN - SCOPUS:84927660878
VL - 42
SP - 1244
EP - 1246
JO - American Journal of Infection Control
JF - American Journal of Infection Control
SN - 0196-6553
IS - 11
ER -