Smear detection results for new smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients at end of intensive treatment in Licheng district in Putian municipality, Fujian province

Objective To explore the influential factors to sputum smear negative conversion rate among new smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients at the end of intensive treatment. Methods Directly observed treatment strategy (DOTS) was applied in 1227 new smear-positive pulmonary TB patients, and 2 sputum specimens were collected from them at the end of the treatment for smear detection, the bacteria amount and the involved area in lung disease were analyzed. Results The differences on bacteria amount in sputum smear, the involved area in lung, finding of cavity in lung, prevalence of complicated diabetes, time of drug administration and the patients' outcome were all statistically significant (P0.05). Conclusion It is necessary to strengthen the centralized management of TB to find TB or suspected TB cases actively and conduct early treatment.