title: Prospective clinical evaluation of Amplicor Mycobacterium tuberculosis PCR test as a screening method in a low-prevalence population.
abstract: Of 656 respiratory samples analyzed for Mycobacterium tuberculosis by microscopy, culture, and the Amplicor PCR method, 25 were positive by culture, 12 were positive by microscopy, and 17 were positive by the Amplicor PCR method; 16 samples were Amplicor PCR positive and culture negative. No patient except one with culture-negative, Amplicor PCR-positive samples had clinical indications of tuberculosis. The sensitivity and specificity of the Amplicor PCR compared with those of culture were 68 and 97.4%, respectively. For culture-positive, smear-negative samples, the sensitivity of the Amplicor PCR was 46%.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bacteriology, University Hospital, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cartuyvels
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Ridder
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jonckheere
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Verbist
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Eldere
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014391:Tuberculosis, Miliary / Q000175:diagnosis; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic