HUBUNGAN KUALITAS SPUTUM TERHADAP HASIL PEMERIKSAAN TUBERKULOSIS DENGAN METODE BTA DAN GENEXPERT DI RUMAH SAKIT SULTAN SULAIMAN

This study was an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional design, conducted on 100 patients suspected of having tuberculosis. Sputum samples collected from the patients were evaluated based on three key factors: volume, cleanliness, and collection technique. The samples were then analyzed using Acid-Fast Bacilli (AFB) microscopy and GeneXpert methods. Data analysis was performed using the Spearman correlation test to assess the relationship between sputum quality and test results. The results showed a significant association between sputum quality and tuberculosis test outcomes. Higher sputum quality particularly regarding cleanliness and adequate volume was associated with a greater likelihood of positive results in both AFB and GeneXpert tests. GeneXpert demonstrated higher sensitivity than AFB microscopy in detecting tuberculosis, even when sputum quality was suboptimal.