Correlation of Xpert MTB/RIF with measures to assess Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacillary burden in high HIV burden areas of Southern Africa.

ABSTRACT: Traditionally, smear microscopy has been used as a point-of-care measure of bacillary burden in tuberculosis patients to inform infection control and contact tracing. Xpert MTB/RIF has the potential to replace smear. However, data to support the use of its quantitative output [cycle threshold (C_T)] as an alternate point-of-care measure of bacillary burden are limited. This study assessed the correlation (Spearman's) between C_T, smear, culture time-to-positivity (TTP), and clinical factors in patients with Xpert-positive sputum from Mozambique (n = 238) and South Africa (n = 462). Mean CT and smear grade correlated well (ρ0.72); compared to TTP and smear (ρ0.61); and mean C_T and TTP (ρ0.50). In multivariate analyses, lower C_T (higher bacillary loa

SUBMITTER: Beynon F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5980110 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature