Abstract Introduction: Clinical studies have shown the detrimental effects of tuberculosis on the course of HIV infection. The risk of death in HIVinfected patients with tuberculosis was reported to be twice that in HIVinfected patients without tuberculosis, independent of the CD4 count. Methodology: The standard procedure was followed making use of 10 ml syringe with 23 gauge needle and as many as possible smears were prepared. Procedure was performed wearing disposable surgical gloves. Hands were washed with soap under running tap water after the procedure. The smears obtained were routinely fixed with ethyl alcohol or air dried according to type of stain to be used. If the smears were inadequate, aspiration was repeated. Smears were then stained by Haematoxylin and Eosin (H & E), May Grunwald Giemsa and ZN stain for acid fast bacilli (AFB). Results: In the present study, smears showing both caseous necrosis and epithelioid cell granuloma (CNECG) constituted predominant pattern with 19 cases (65.51%), followed by smears showing only epithelioid cell granuloma (ECG) 5(17.24%) and smears showing only caseous necrosis (CN) 5 (17.24%). Conclusion: Lymph node cytology is useful for segregating lymphadenopathy cases that needs further evaluation.
Keywords: TB Lymphadenitis; HIV; FNAC.