Table 4.

Costing of the smear microscopy and culture approach to TB diagnosis in smear-negative TB suspects

Cost item	Cost US$ (2010)
Fluorescent smear microscopy	3.57
Liquid culture (growth)	13.48
Liquid culture (no growth)	11.89
Ziehl-Neelsen smear microscopy (after culture growth)	2.06
Line-probe assay (after culture growth)	25.72
Total cost for sample with no culture growth	15.45
Total costs for sample with culture growth	44.83
Average total cost per smear and culture	19.31
Total cost per valid smear and culture result	24.47
Total cost of case diagnosed by smear and/or culture	260.00

TB = tuberculosis.