Introduction & Objective: Tuberculosis is an ancient disease that will affect human health in the future. Tuberculosis is a systemic disease and more body systems are affected such as hematologic system. This study was conducted to determine peripheral blood changes in pulmonary tuberculosis detecting by H3 technicon in Urmia hospitals in the west of Iran.

Materials & Methods: In this study 85 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis were evaluated for peripheral blood manifestation before and after anti tuberculosis chemotherapy. Subjects were diagnosed as active pulmonary tuberculosis with two sputum smears positive for acid fast bacillus or one smear plus one positive culture. Peripheral blood count and indices were determined by H3 technicon system and peripheral blood smear. Data were analyzed with SPSS. Win software and using Mac Nemar and Paired – Sample t-test.

Results: According to the result of this study 60 percent of our patients were male. Prevalence of anemia at the time of presentation was 53 percent, in 18 patients (21.2 percent), anemia was severe. In the post-treatment phase, anemia was significantly lower than pretreatment phase (P=0.001). Leukocytosis was found in 31 percent and eosinophilia in 12.9 percent that was 3.5 and 2.3 percent respectively in post-treatment period. Thrombocythopenia was seen in 23.5 percent of our patients before treatment and 16.4 after it.

Conclusion: Considering these results, prevalence of anemia among patients that were diagnosed as suffering active pulmonary tuberculosis was very high. Anemia in these patients was contributed to anemia of chronic disease and was not closely evaluated. After successful treatment some of anemic patients were still anemic. Anemia in presentation of tuberculosis has to be adequately evaluated and managed.