Table 6.

Clinical information for 15 culture-negative cases determined to be positive by real-time PCR

Case	Gender/age (yr)	AFB smear	Clinical informationa
1	M/70	Positive	M. tuberculosis culture positive for another sputum specimen during the same admission; on antituberculosis treatment.
2	F/36	Positive	Both sputum and cervical lymph nodes pus positive in AFB smear; apical nodules; possibly granulomas; on antituberculosis treatment.
3	F/70	Positive	M. tuberculosis culture positive of another sputum specimen and BAL during the same admission, tissue positive in AFB smear; on antituberculosis treatment.
4	M/69	Positive	M. tuberculosis culture positive for another sputum specimen from last admission; on antituberculosis treatment.
5	M/73	Positive	M. tuberculosis culture positive for another sputum specimen during the same admission; on antituberculosis treatment.
6	M/72	Negative	CT scan of right upper zone showed tree-in-bud appearance; on antituberculosis treatment prior to admission.
7	M/75	Negative	M. tuberculosis culture positive for another sputum specimen during a subsequent admission 1 month later; pleural effusion; on antituberculosis treatment.
8	F/20	Negative	M. tuberculosis culture positive for another sputum specimen during the same admission; on antituberculosis treatment.
9	M/79	Negative	M. tuberculosis culture positive for another sputum specimen during the same admission; started antituberculosis treatment; deceased.
10	M/58	Negative	M. tuberculosis culture positive for another sputum specimen during the same admission; on antituberculosis treatment.
11	M/52	Negative	M. tuberculosis culture positive for another sputum specimen during the same admission; on antituberculosis treatment.
12	M/54	Negative	AFB smear positive in biopsy of upper right lobe of lung; presence of granulomas; on antituberculosis treatment.
13	M/77	Negative	TB history; recent sputum positive in AFB smear; on antituberculosis treatment.
14	M/50	Negative	TB history; completed antituberculosis treatment; recurrent hemoptysis and bronchiectasis.
15	M/59	Negative	TB history; completed antituberculosis treatment.

^aBAL, bronchoalveolar lavage.