Table 1.
Disease | Confirmed | Probable |
---|---|---|
Bacterial pneumonia | - Positive culture of BAL and/or blood | - Suggestive clinical picture and improvement after receiving antibiotics |
- Positive BAL PCR result for atypical bacteria | ||
Pneumocystis pneumonia | - Positive BAL immuno-fluorescence | - Positive BAL PCR result (cycle threshold value < 35)18,19 and suggestive clinical picture and improvement after treatment for PcP |
(> 5 oocysts per high-power field) | ||
Pulmonary tuberculosis | - Positive BAL mycobacterial culture and/or AFB ZN smear | - Suggestive clinical picture and improvement after treatment for tuberculosis |
Pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma | - Characteristic tracheo-bronchial lesions on bronchoscopy and suggestive chest radiograph | |
Viral pneumonitis | - Positive BAL viral PCR result and suggestive clinical picture |
BAL = bronchoalveolar lavage; PCR = polymerase chain reaction; PCP = Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia; AFB = acid-fast bacilli; ZN = Ziehl-Neelsen.