title: Rapid molecular detection of extrapulmonary tuberculosis by the automated GeneXpert MTB/RIF system.
abstract: In total, 521 nonrespiratory specimens (91 urine, 30 gastric aspirate, 245 tissue, 113 pleural fluid, 19 cerebrospinal fluid [CSF], and 23 stool specimens) submitted to the German National Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria (NRL) from May 2009 to August 2010 were comparatively investigated with the new molecular-based GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay system and conventional liquid and solid culture methods. Twenty (3.8%) of the 521 specimens gave no interpretable result. Whereas the sensitivity of the Xpert assay with tissue specimens was 69.0% (20 out of 29 culture-positive cases detected), 100% sensitivity was found with the urine and stool specimens. The combined sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert assay were calculated to be 77.3% and 98.2%, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Nationales Referenzzentrum für Mykobakterien, Forschungszentrum Borstel, Parkallee 18, 23845 Borstel, Germany. dhillemann@fz-borstel.de
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hillemann
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rüsch-Gerdes
authors.forename: Catharina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boehme
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation / Q000379:methods*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*