Front-Loading Sputum Microscopy Services: An Opportunity to Optimise Smear-Based Case Detection of Tuberculosis in High Prevalence Countries

Table 3

Yield of two smears collected using the standard (spot-morning) and the frontloading (spot-Xspot) approaches by country.

Standard approach	Frontloading approach			𝑃^∗
Yemen	Positive	Negative	All	.18
Positive	56	4	60
Negative	1	189	190
All	57	193	250
Nepal				.53
Positive	40	6	46
Negative	4	156	160
All	44	162	206
Nigeria				.32
Positive	47	1	48
Negative	0	176	176
All	47	177	224
Ethiopia				1.0
Positive	46	3	49
Negative	3	191	194
All	49	194	243
All sites				.58
Positive	189	14	203
Negative	8	712	720
All	197	726	923

^∗McNemar test.