Utility of Acid-Fast Staining in Tubercular Lymphadenopathy Compared to Cytopathology

Background: Lymphadenitis is a common form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. As in peripheral health centers, the facilities for histopathology and culture are lacking, material obtained by fine needle aspiration (FNA) in suspected cases of tubercular lymphadenitis (TBL) can be stained for Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) by Ziehl Neelson method as every Designated Microscopy centre under Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme has facility to perform it. This study was conducted with the aim of establishing the utility of performing AFB on aspirated material at a DMC over performing cytology at a higher centre. Methods: Fifty eight suspected cases of TBL attending urban health training centre, Dept. of Community Medicine were included in the study. FNA was performed and at least two slides were prepared, one for acid fast staining at centre itself and the other was sent for cytology, in the Dept. of Pathology. SPSS 11.0 was used to data analysis. Results: 75.9% slides were AFB Positive; there was significant correlation of duration of disease and cytomorphology with AFB positivity. Conclusion: It was concluded that performing AFB staining at a peripheral centre on material aspirated from lymph nodes could alone be sufficient for diagnosis of tuberculosis in majority of cases.