title: Evaluation of ligase chain reaction for direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in respiratory specimens.
abstract: A new automated amplification method, Ligase Chain Reaction (LCx MTB), was evaluated for direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in respiratory specimens from 208 patients and its performance was compared with culture and direct smears. Out of 226 specimens, 28 LCx MTB and 15 cultures were found positive for M. tuberculosis. After resolution of clinical history, the sensitivity of LCx MTB and culture was respectively 89.3% and 53.6% with a specificity of 98.5% and 100%. However, samples coming from untreated patients presented similar results between culture and LCx MTB (sensitivity 75% and 83.3% for culture and LCx MTB).
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Denis
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Devaster
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vandenberg
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vanachter
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lafontaine
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Butzler
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation; D003470:Culture Media; D011088:DNA Ligases; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D011088:DNA Ligases