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Schedule of follow-up tests

  • For new patients, do follow-up sputum examinations at the end of the 2nd, 5th and 6th months.

  • For retreatment patients, do sputum examinations at the end of the 3rd, 5th and 8th months.

  • For all patients with negative sputum before treatment, sputum should be collected as noted but major indicators of response to therapy are the chest radiograph and the clinical evaluation.

A presumptive diagnosis can be made if radiographic improvement is noted, generally by the time two months of treatment has been completed. If the radiograph does not improve after the patient has received three months of treatment, the abnormality may be the result of either previous (not current) TB or other lung pathologies that may need further evaluation. These schedules follow WHO recommendations but national guidelines may be different and should be followed.

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