Sputum smear microscopy in tuberculosis: It is still relevant in the era of molecular diagnosis when seen from the public health perspective

• Main Authors: Prasanta Kumar Das, Somtirtha B Ganguly, Bodhisatya Mandal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019-01-01
• Series: Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Journal
• Subjects: Public health; sputum smear microscopy; tuberculosis control program
• Online Access: http://www.bmbtrj.org/article.asp?issn=2588-9834;year=2019;volume=3;issue=2;spage=77;epage=79;aulast=Das
• ISSN: 2588-9834; 2588-9842

Smear Microscopy has been the sole diagnostic support since the inception of the Revised national Tuberculosis Control Program. Treatment initiation and evaluation of prognosis both were dependant on the Smear Microscopy results. The recent commissioning of the CBNAAT machines raised questions on relevance of smear microscopy. The review explores the merits and demerits of the smear microscopy and other molecular technologies and debated on the relevance of microscopy when seen from the perspective of public health.