A 27-year-old man returns from backpacking in Asia with a 3-week history of cough, low-grade fever, night sweats and weight loss. He has no significan...

Question

A 27-year-old man returns from backpacking in Asia with a 3-week history of cough, low-grade fever, night sweats and weight loss. He has no significant past history and is HIV-negative. Chest X-ray shows patchy shadowing in the upper lobes. What is the most appropriate initial investigation to confirm the diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Three early-morning sputum samples for acid-fast bacilli

Answer

Serum interferon-gamma release assay alone

Answer

Bronchoscopy with transbronchial biopsy as first-line

Answer

Immediate CT pulmonary angiography

Answer

Sputum culture for viruses

uk-plab-1 MCQ (SBA): Pulmonary tuberculosis