FIG. 2.

Detection of LAM in sputum spiked with a serial dilution of M. tuberculosis (10⁷ to 10³ cells/ml of sputum) and unspiked (0 cells/ml of sputum). The sputum was pooled and contained equal portions of sputum from 10 Dutch patients with a diagnosis other than tuberculosis. Results are given as the mean A₄₅₀ minus the plate background. •••••, ELISA value of unspiked sputum +2 SDs (0.121); ∗, A₄₅₀ of >3. Error bars show ± 2 SDs. The detection limit was 10⁴ M. tuberculosis bacteria/ml sputum.