Grading of smears examined

in ordinary microscopy at
1000X magnification
after ZN staining
----- smear contains no AFB
in 100 fields.

NEG
How will you grade a smear
with 9 AFB in 100 fields ?
------ Smear with more than
10 AFB per field.

3+
 A smear with 1 to 9 bacilli
in majority of the fields will
be graded as:

2+
Smear grade: 2 +
(1-9 AFB /field in at
least 50 fields)
Smear Grade: 1 +

10 - 99 AFB
in 100 fields
 Smear Grade:actual
( < 10 AFB in 100 fields)
Grade the
following
smears:
Positive
(6AFB)
Positive
1+
 1 +
(86 AFB
/96 HPF)
Positive
2 +
Positive
(8 AFB)
Positive
1+
 Credit
Revised National Tuberculosis Control
Program-Tuberculosis Research
Center

Chennai, India