Journal of Clinical & Experimental Pathology
Open Access

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) and lung cancer remain important causes of death worldwide. The incidence of TB in Iraq is 56 per 100000 populations per year with 25 out of the 56 being infectious cases. Sputum cytological examination followed by sputum smears for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) are useful ways for identifying and diagnosis tuberculosis and other pulmonary associated lesions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance of sputum cytology and smears for AFB in diagnosis of TB in patients living in Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq. A total of 95 patients with signs and symptoms suspected of pulmonary tuberculosis were included in this study. Results showed that age of the patients included in this study ranged from 11 to 92 years and they were 64% males. 50% of sputum smears were positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and 61% were suggestive positive for tuberculosis by sputum cytological examination. The results of cytological investigation showed that 78% had predominantly chronic inflammatory cells, 22% had mixed inflammatory cells, 24% of the patients had metaplastic squamous cells, 43% showed necrotic background and 7% had red blood cells. On the other hand, only 1% of the cases had dysplastic cells (premalignant cells) and none of the smears showed granulomatous, giant or malignant cells. It was concluded that sputum cytological examinations followed by sputum smears for AFB are useful ways for diagnosis TB. It is recommended that using the combination of sputum smears for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and sputum cytological examination resulted in a significantly increased positivity rate in diagnosis of lung lesions.

Biography

Rafal Abdulrazaq Al-Rawi has completed his MBChB in 1999 and FIC in 2006 at University of Almustanseria, Baghdad, Iraq. His thesis title was: Expression of β -HCG and its pathological aspects in breast tumors. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor in Department of Pathology (Clinical Analysis) at College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Iraq since 2012. He published 12 scientific papers. He received more than 25 acknowledgments and outstanding awards.