title: Use of the AMPLIFIED Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test for the diagnosis of tuberculosis.
abstract: A comparative analysis was made of 3 conventional tests for tuberculosis (TB) versus a DNA probe technique among suspected TB patients at a reference centre in Greece. During 2004, we tested 2961 biological specimens from 2234 patients with the following methods: Ziehl-Neelsen staining, LöwensteinOJensen culture, BACTEC mycobacteria growth indicator tubes (MGIT) and the Gen-Probe AMPLIFIED Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test (MTD). Of a total of 136 TB patients diagnosed and under anti-TB treatment, 133 of them (98%) were positive by amplified MTD. There were 112 TB (82%) detected by the MGIT method, 102 (75%) by Löwenstein-Jensen culture and 75 (55%) by Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Using MTD the positive result is ready within hours compared with days or weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycobacteria Tuberculosis of Northern Greece, Pneumonological Clinic Laboratory, Thessaloniki, Greece georkons@Safe-mail.net
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalafati-Tzimaka
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Georgitzikis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Delikatzi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chatzidimitriou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tzimaka
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Patakas
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003470:Culture Media / Q000191:economics; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000191:economics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D015342:DNA Probes; D004269:DNA, Bacterial