title: Acid-fast Smear and Histopathology Results Provide Guidance for the Appropriate Use of Broad-Range Polymerase Chain Reaction and Sequencing for Mycobacteria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  New molecular diagnostic tests are attractive because of the potential they hold for improving diagnostics in microbiology. The value of these tests, which is often assumed, should be investigated to determine the best use of these potentially powerful tools.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the usefulness of broad-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by sequencing, in mycobacterial infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the test performance of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) PCR and traditional diagnostic methods (histopathology, AFB smear, and culture). We assessed the diagnostic effect and cost of the unrestricted ordering of broad-range PCR for the detection and identification of mycobacteria in clinical specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The AFB PCR was less sensitive than culture and histopathology and was less specific than culture, AFB smear, and histopathology. During 18 months, $93 063 was spent on 183 patient specimens for broad-range PCR and DNA sequencing for mycobacteria to confirm one culture-proven Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection that was also known to be positive by AFB smear and histopathology. In this cohort, there was a false-negative AFB PCR for M tuberculosis and a false-positive AFB PCR for Mycobacterium lentiflavum .
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Testing of AFB smear-negative specimens from patients without an inflammatory response supportive of a mycobacterial infection is costly and has not been proven to improve patient care. Traditional diagnostics (histopathology, AFB smear, and culture) should remain the primary methods for the detection of mycobacteria in clinical specimens.
authors.forename: Kennon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Molecular Pathology and Microbiology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
authors.forename: Gary W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Procop
mesh_terms: D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D009159:Mycobacteriaceae; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*