[Comparison study on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and standard culture technique in detecting mycobacterium tuberculosis to diagnose of joint tuberculosis].
OBJECTIVE
To study the role of PCR technique in detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis in the samples from joint tuberculosis, and to evaluate the clinical value of PCR in diagnosis of joint tuberculosis.


METHODS
From June 1993 to August 2001, PCR was used to detect DNA of mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the standard culture was applied to detect mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis were respectively blindly by the two techniques in the samples obtained from 95 patients with joint tuberculosis (55 males and 40 females, the age ranging from 2 to 75 years, with an average of 34 years). The positive rate of mycobacterium tuberculosis detection was calculated.


RESULTS
In the detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis, positive rate was 82% (78/95) in PCR technique, and 16% (15/95) in standard culture technique. There were statistical differences between the two groups (chi2=67, P<0.001). The whole process of PCR amplification was automatic and could be finished within several hours, and the detecting time was considerably shorter.


CONCLUSIONS
PCR technique is a rapid, simple, sensitive and specific method for detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis in the samples of joint tuberculosis, showing more marked advantages than the standard culture technique. It is valuable in the early rapid diagnosis and differential diagnosis of joint tuberculosis.
Sun
Yong-sheng
YS
The 2nd Department of Bone Joint, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medicine Science, Beijing 100102, China.
Wen
Jian-min
JM
Lü
Wei-xin
WX
Lou
Si-quan
SQ
Jiao
Chang-geng
CG
Yang
Su-min
SM
Xu
Hai-bin
HB
Duan
Yong-zhuang
YZ
D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014394:Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult