Maryam R Tarar, Ghazala Ruby, Chughtai A S.
Rapid molecular detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical samples: five year experience.
Pak J Pathol Jan ;15(4):153-7.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the usefulness of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in clinical samples from different categories. Design: Laboratory based, retrospective. Place and Duration: Chughtai`s Lahore Laboratory, over a 5 year period between 1st June 1998 and 31st May 2003. Materials/Methods: A total of 990 clinical samples were collected from patients of both sexes and all ages with a provisional diagnosis of tuberculosis and polymerase chain reaction was performed for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA. The specimen categories were ascitic fluid, aspirate, bronchial washings, cerebrospinal fluid, eye fluid, fluid (unspecified), gastric fluid, peripheral blood, pleural fluid, pus, semen, sputum, synovial fluid, urine and vitreous tap. Out of 15 types of specimens received over five years, only 15.5% were respiratory tract and related samples (bronchial wash, pleural fluid and sputum n=154) whereas the remaining 84.5% (n=836) were non respiratory tract category samples. Results: In the respiratory tract category 80% pleural fluid, 77% sputa and 67% bronchial wash specimens tested positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA by Polymerase chain reaction. In the non respiratory tract category, 90% synovial fluid, 81% pus, 75% ascitic fluid and aspirates, 68% unspecified fluids, 67% urine, 53% cerebrospinal fluid, 50% gastric fluid, 37% peripheral blood, 21% vitreous tap and 0% eye fluid and semen were reported positive. Conclusions: Fifty one percent of clinical samples belonging to fifteen different categories of respiratory and non respiratory types, received from patients of both sexes with a provisional diagnosis of tuberculosis, tested positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA by polymerase chain reaction. This technique has proved to be reliable testing tool for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

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