Table 3. Positive rate of acid-fast bacilli smears and tuberculosis cultures in patients with ≥ 3 consecutive sputum specimens according to the WBC count.

WBC counts	Patients n	Positive AFB smear n (%)	Positive TB culture n (%)
All specimens with WBC≥25/LPF	27	13 (48.1)	13 (48.1)
1 or 2 specimens with WBC≥25/LPF	25	5 (20.0)	9 (36.0)
All specimens with WBC<25/LPF	20	6 (30.0)	6 (30.0)

WBC, white blood cell; LPF, low-power field.