Author/Authors :
Kalafati-Tzimaka, E. Pneumonological Clinic Laboratory - Department of Mycobacteria Tuberculosis of Northern Greece , Georgitzikis, I. Pneumonological Clinic Laboratory - Department of Mycobacteria Tuberculosis of Northern Greece , Delikatzi, D. Pneumonological Clinic Laboratory - Department of Mycobacteria Tuberculosis of Northern Greece , Chatzidimitriou, D. Pneumonological Clinic Laboratory - Department of Mycobacteria Tuberculosis of Northern Greece , Tzimaka, M. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki - Pneumonological Clinic - Department of Mass Media Communication, Greece , Patakas, D. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki - Pneumonological Clinic, Greece
Abstract :
A comparative analysis was made of 3 conventional tests for tuberculosis (TB) versus a DNA probe technique among suspected TB patients at a reference centre in Greece. During 2004, we tested 2961 biological specimens from 2234 patients with the following methods: Ziehl–Neelsen staining, Löwenstein−Jensen culture, BACTEC mycobacteria growth indicator tubes (MGIT) and the Gen-Probe AMPLIFIEDTM Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test (MTD). Of a total of 136 TB patients diagnosed and under anti-TB treatment, 133 of them (98%) were positive by amplified MTD. There were 112 TB (82%) detected by the MGIT method, 102 (75%) by Löwenstein–Jensen culture and 75 (55%) by Ziehl–Neelsen staining. Using MTD the positive result is ready within hours compared with days or weeks.
