title: [Detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis complex using real-time polymerase chain reaction].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB), PCR is known to be sensitive, specific, and rapid compared to the conventional methods of acid-fast-bacilli (AFB) smear and culture. We evaluated a new approach for MTB detection using real-time PCR.
  
  
  METHODS
  The specificity of real-time PCR was evaluated using 20 MTB isolates and 37 nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolates identified by AccuProbe Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex colony identification test (Gen-Probe Inc., USA) and Myco-ID (M&D, Korea). One hundred sputum specimens (50 AFB smear-positive and 50 negative specimens) were analyzed using real-time PCR and Amplicor Mycobacterium tuberculosis test (Roche, Germany). The results of real-time PCR positives (55 samples) and negatives (598 samples) were analyzed by AFB smear and culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The real-time PCR assay accurately discriminated between MTB and NTM species. Realtime PCR and Amplicor test yielded the same results in 96.0% (96/100) of the sputum specimens tested. The sensitivity and specificity of real-time PCR based on AFB culture were 97.4% and 88.5%, respectively. Of the 55 real-time PCR positive specimens, 83.6% (46/55) were culture-positive, 30.9% (17/55) were smear-positive, 52.7% (29/55) were smear-negative and culture-positive, and 14.5% (8/55) were both smear and culture-negative. Among the 598 real-time PCR negative specimens, 60 were not tested for AFB smear or culture and 10 were contaminated. Of the remaining 528 specimens, 478 (90.5%) were both smear and culture-negative and 39 (7.4%) were culture-positive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the detection of MTB, real-time PCR was sensitive and specific and comparable to conventional methods. It can be used for rapid identification of M. tuberculosis in clinical laboratories.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Eun
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Se Ran
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Kwang Cheol
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Sang Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Sung Han
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hong Bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyoung Un
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Junghan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jae Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung Sup
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Eui Chong
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003199:Computer Systems; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic