XtracTB Assay, a Mycobacterium tuberculosis molecular screening test with sensitivity approaching culture.

ABSTRACT: Nucleic acid amplification tests are increasingly used to diagnose tuberculosis (TB) due to their speed and sensitivity compared to sputum smear microscopy. However, these tests fail to equal culture's sensitivity with sputum smear microscopy negative specimens and therefore cannot be used to rule out TB disease. For molecular tests to match culture's sensitivity, they must detect ≤10 genomic copies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) DNA, the limit of detection of culture, process ≥1 ml of sputum ensuring sufficient number of MTB are in the reaction, and efficiently remove sputum associated inhibitors from this large sample. Here we report the preliminary characterization of XtracTB Assay, a MTB testing protocol designed for inclusion in either an integrated point-of-care platform or a hi

SUBMITTER: Reed JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5473816 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature