[Dynamics in bacterial isolation and antigenemia in patients with infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis].

A hundred patients with infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis were studied. They were examined for bacterial isolates and mycobacterial antigens in the immune complexes. The isolates were detected in 76%. In most cases, isolation stopped 3 months following chemotherapy and in the absolute majority of cases (except one) 9 months after. Isolation of L-forms remained for a longer period of time, at month 6 of therapy there was an increase in the number of patients who were found to have L-forms of the bacteria. Most (97%) patients with infiltrative tuberculosis displayed mycobacterial antigens circulating in the immune complexes. Antigenemia retained in a considerable (40%) number of patients long (up to 9 months) and in most cases with the unfavourable course of the disease.