Rai, DRKshetry, NTBhargava, DPokharel, BM2026-07-012026-07-012006https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14572/6819D.R Rai Department of Microbiology, National Medical College Teaching Hospital, Birgunj, Nepal N.T Kshetry Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, IOM, Kathmandu, Nepal D. Bhargava National Medical College Teaching Hospital, Birgunj, Nepal B.M. Pokharel Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, IOM, Kathmandu, NepalAbstract Background: Tuberculosis continues to be a great public health problem in Nepal. The evaluation of suitable diagnostic method to diagnose tuberculosis is urged. Methods: Three consecutive early morning sputum collected from 413 patients were subjected to ZN staining and serum from 224 patients to ICT-TB test. Results: Overall positive results of Z-N staining and ICT-TB test were 13.1% and 14.3%, respectively. In ICT-TB test, males were found more positive (14.7%) than females (13.9%)(P>0.05) but in microscopy, it was vice-versa (P>0.05). Age group 41-60 was significantly more seropositive compare to younger, however, in combination it wasn’t significant (P>0.05). Alcoholics were significantly high (25.5%)(P<0.05) and smokers were marginally high (17.3%) (P>0.05) AFB positive compared to nonalcoholics (11.5%) and non-smokers (11.6%). Students and service men were remarkably lower AFB positive compare to farmers and workers but interestingly nobody was found positive among business personnel (P>0.05). Conclusion: Z-N staining microscopy is cheaper and equally sensitive hence it is more useful diagnostic tool than ICT-TB test for pulmonary tuberculosis. Keywords: Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Ziehl-Neelsen staining, ICT-TB test, Nepalen-USPulmonary TuberculosisZiehl-Neelsen stainingICT-TB testNepalArticle