title: [Contribution of PCR in the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis].
abstract: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis is usually more difficult to diagnose than pulmonary tuberculosis. It often involves inaccessible sites and it is paucibacillary.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we tried to analyze the performance of various bacteriological methods used to diagnose 51 cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in an infectious diseases ward.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The culture was positive for 55% of patients. The new amplification methods used were very disappointing for the testing of nonrespiratory samples. The sensitivity of PCR was 32% compared to that of diagnostic culture which remains the most sensitive reference method. Liquid media allow for rapid growth and limit the contaminations. The combined inoculation of liquid and solid medium increases the sensitivity and helps to identify the pathogen.
authors.affiliation: Service d'hygiène hospitalière, centre hospitalier Périgueux, 80, avenue Georges-Pompidou, 24019 Périgueux cedex, France. mathilde.blaine@ch-perigueux.fr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blanie
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pellegrin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maugein
mesh_terms: D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial