Is real-time PCR better than conventional PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex detection in clinical samples?
Cobas Amplicor MTB and later Cobas TaqMan MTB were used to test a very large series of consecutive specimens received for tuberculosis diagnosis. Performance parameters were estimated and compared overall and for separate specimen categories. Both systems showed excellent specificity, and that of TaqMan was the higher. The sensitivities were similar but satisfactory only with respiratory specimens and smear-positive samples.
Emerging Bacterial Pathogens Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. e.tortoli@libero.it
Enrico
E
Tortoli
Pasquale
P
Urbano
Fiorella
F
Marcelli
Tullia M
TM
Simonetti
Daniela M
DM
Cirillo
D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*