The pathogenic tests for tuberculosis include sputum smear and sputum culture. The first test, sputum smear, is commonly used in clinical practice because it is simple, rapid, and relatively inexpensive, but it lacks a certain degree of sensitivity because a positive sputum smear result can only indicate the presence of acid-resistant bacilli in the sputum, but it cannot distinguish between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria, so it has certain limitations and has clinical reference significance. If the sputum smear is positive, it should be combined with the clinical symptoms of tuberculosis, imaging, and the history of contact with tuberculosis to further determine whether or not tuberculosis is infectious. Second, sputum culture is the gold standard for tuberculosis screening. If Mycobacterium tuberculosis is cultured in sputum, it is determined that the patient is infected with tuberculosis, and the next step is regular anti-tuberculosis treatment. In recent years, DNA testing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis has also been introduced.