title: Molecular techniques in mycobacterial detection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical utility of the commercial nucleic acid amplification (NAA) tests (ie, Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test, Gen-Probe, Inc and AMPLICOR Mycobacterium tuberculosis Test, Roche Molecular Systems, Inc) for direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of the English-language literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The performance of both NAA tests is excellent (sensitivity, > or = 95%; specificity, 100%) when testing respiratory specimens that are smear-positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). Only the Gen-Probe assay is approved for testing respiratory specimens regardless of the AFB smear result. Data from 3 studies showed that the sensitivity of the Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test in smear-negative patients ranged from 83% to 85%, and that the specificity was 99%. Both NAA tests have been used to test nonrespiratory specimens; in some studies, the performance was comparable to the performance obtained for respiratory specimens, whereas in others, it was lower. The NAA tests also appear to be reliable tools for rapid detection of M tuberculosis complex in positive broth cultures of all specimen types (except blood). The impact of the NAA tests on patient outcome varies based on the result of the AFB smear. In smear-positive patients, public health and hospital infection-control resources are predominantly affected. The potential for influencing patient outcome is much greater when the AFB smear is negative. In smear-negative patients, the NAA test could provide more rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis and subsequent initiation of therapy; eliminate the need for invasive diagnostic procedures, which are both costly and pose an added risk to the patient; and allow earlier discharge of hospitalized patients. Prospective studies concerning the cost-effectiveness of the NAA tests are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, Galveston, Tex 77555-0740, USA. gwoods@utmb.edu
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005821:Genetic Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis