Triple Cultures Increase the Diagnostic Sensitivity of Mycobacterial Tuberculosis Empyema

Table 3

Diagnostic yield of mycobacterial smear and culture.

Sample	Smear positive (%)	Culture positive (%)	Smear or culture positive (%)
Sputum	4/17 (23.5%)	7 /17 (41.1%)	7/17 (41.1%)
Intraoperative pleural fluid	2/16 (12.5%)	7/17 (41.1%)	10/17 (58.8%)
Intraoperative pleural tissue	4/16 (25%)	12/16 (75%)	12/16 (75%)
Sputum + intraoperative pleural fluid and tissue	8/17 (44.4%)	16/17 (94.1%)	17/17 (100%)