Background.  The Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)/rifampicin (RIF) is a fully automated diagnostic test that allows for the detection of MTB including its RIF resistance. Although the test is used for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in sputum samples worldwide, studies using fecal specimens are scarce. We therefore evaluated the efficacy of the Xpert MTB/RIF test for detection of MTB i...

Background In Nepal, introduction of GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay (Xpert assay) as an initial confirmation test for tuberculosis (TB) has been considered to have impact as a significant decrease in number of clinically diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases than previous years. This study aims to find out the distribution profile of suspected tuberculosis cases according to patients age, gende...

The rapid and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis is crucial to providing optimal treatment and reducing the spread of infection. We evaluated respiratory and nonrespiratory clinical specimens using a new automated Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) rRNA detection kit (TRCRapid M.TB; Tosoh Bioscience, Tokyo, Japan), which is based on the transcription-reverse transcription concerted react...

Objective: Since colposcopy biopsy test plays a significant role in the evaluation of cervix, especially in patients with an abnormal result of Pap smear test, therefore, this research study was conducted to compare the results of Pap smear and colposcopy directed punch biopsy tests at Firoozgar and Akbarabady hospitals from 2001 to 2003. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was ca...

OBJECTIVE To compare the diagnostic yield of AFB positivity with sputum induction to spontaneous sputum examination in suspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. STUDY DESIGN Comparative study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from January to December 2006. METHODOLOGY Sputum specimens were collected by both techniques from 164 patients with clinical and radiolog...

BACKGROUND In Pakistan, patients with symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis (TB) seek care from a wide array of health care providers, many of whom do not notify cases to the National TB Programme (NTP). SETTING We evaluated an active case detection intervention in five randomly selected districts in urban slums of Sindh Province, Pakistan. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the increase in case notificat...

The aim of this study was to assess the value of examining multiple sputum specimens in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). We analyzed sputum smear and culture results of patients diagnosed with culture-proven PTB during 2002. In 1027 patients, the diagnosis was established by detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli in sputum samples. The number of sputum specimens submitted...

Pulmonary tuberculosis is a common infection worldwide. In the eastern part of Iran, fluctuations in tuberculosis prevalence are seen due to the migration of people from Afghanistan. The aim of this study was to evaluate the time of bacteriologic sputum conversion after treatment and affecting factors in those whose smear does not become negative. This study was carried out on 85 smear-positive...

background : despite recent technologic improvements in identifying mycobacterium tuberculosis, we are still facing problems in rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis. the objective of this study is to determine the diagnostic value of a new rapid screening test (patho-tb™) for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. methods : between september 2006 to august 2007, 178 patients were enrolled in the study...

The Cobas TaqMan MTB test, based on real-time PCR technology, was evaluated for direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in respiratory specimens. A total of 1,093 samples from 446 patients, including 118 acid-fast smear-positive and 975 acid-fast smear-negative specimens, were investigated. Diagnostic cultures performed with 7H11 agar, Löwenstein-Jensen medium, and the Bac...