Added diagnostic value of 16S rRNA gene pan-mycobacterial PCR for nontuberculous mycobacterial infections: a 10-year retrospective study.

ABSTRACT: The diagnosis of mycobacterial infections has been dramatically improved by the introduction of molecular methods aimed to reduce the time to diagnosis as compared with culture. The broad range pan-mycobacterial PCR can detect all the mycobacterial species directly from clinical specimens. We aimed to evaluate its usefulness and its clinical added value for the diagnosis of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections. We performed a retrospective study (2003-2013) including 952 samples taken from 639 patients with clinical suspicion of NTM infection. The performance of smear microscopy, PCR and culture was established using clinical data to investigate discrepant results. We also compared the time to microbial diagnosis between the direct PCR and culture. The sensitivity, specificity, po

SUBMITTER: Simon A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6778528 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature