title: A comparative evaluation of dot immunobinding assay (Dot-Iba) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the laboratory diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis.
abstract: The results of a Dot immunobinding assay (Dot Iba) for the detection of mycobacterial antigen in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 45 patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) were compared with the results of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In eight patients with culture proven TBM, Dot-Iba gave positive results, while PCR yielded positive results only in six patients. The overall sensitivities of Dot-Iba and PCR in 37 patients with culture negative (probable) TBM were 75.67% and 40.5% respectively. Dot-Iba, in contrast to PCR is a rapid and relatively easier method. More importantly, Dot-Iba is suitable for the routine application for the laboratory diagnosis of TBM and therefore best suited to laboratories in the developing world.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala State, India.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reuben
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sarada
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Radhakrishnan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Indulakshmi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sathish
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ajaykumar
authors.forename: Y K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Manju
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D007753:Laboratories; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014390:Tuberculosis, Meningeal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial