The value of routine bronchial aspirate culture at fibreoptic bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of tuberculosis.

We review the results of bronchial aspirate culture for mycobacteria sent routinely in a series of 1734 fibreoptic bronchoscopic procedures. The incidence of tuberculosis in the series was 8.3% (144 cases). Of these cases, a positive bronchial aspirate culture was obtained in 119 (82.6%) cases, and it was the exclusive means of diagnosis in 64 (44.4%). In 66% of these cases tuberculosis was not suspected at the time of bronchoscopy. Our results suggest that in an area with a high prevalence of tuberculosis, routine bronchial aspirate culture is a useful adjunct to diagnosis.