title: [Evaluation of Amplicor MTB PCR assay for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in specimens by means of negative direct microscopic examination].
abstract: The reliability of the Roche Amplicor Mycobacterium tuberculosis test (Amplicor MTB) was evaluated by testing smear-negative specimens from patients with clinical and radiological characteristics of tuberculosis. A total of 364 clinical samples including biopsies and fluids from 153 patients was tested using the Amplicor MTB and the results were compared with those of culture. After discrepancy resolution and patients chart review, sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 44.7%, 99.7%, 94.4% and 93.9% respectively. Our study indicates that Amplicor MTB, despite its low sensibility and for its high specificity can bring a valuable complement for improving the laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Bactériologie, Hôpital Tenor, Paris, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amrane
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guessous
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brugiere
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D008853:Microscopy; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity