Initial default among diagnosed sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Background: Under the Indian Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP), smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients not confirmed as starting treatment are reported as 'initial defaulters'.

Setting: Twenty districts of Andhra Pradesh State, India.

Objective: To evaluate reasons for treatment non-initiation in smear-positive PTB patients diagnosed and reported as initial defaulters by the NTP.