title: Use of string test and stool specimens to diagnose pulmonary tuberculosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Xpert MTB/RIF (MTB/RIF) test has advanced the field of tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics; however, depending on age and HIV status, 10-85% of individuals with presumed pulmonary TB (PTB) are unable to produce sputum.
  
  
  METHODS
  The feasibility of using MTB/RIF and culture on stool and string test specimens from 13 adult patients with presumed PTB was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The string test was well tolerated with a median Wong Baker Faces score of 2. The string test had 100% sensitivity and specificity by MTB/RIF and 87.5% sensitivity and 100% specificity by culture. In stool, Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA was detected in all cases of culture-confirmed PTB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The string test and stool provide diagnostic specimens that warrant further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Mail Stop BCM286, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: DiNardo
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Mail Stop BCM286, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Jacinta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leyden
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stager
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.|Cepheid, Sunnyvale, California, USA.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jo Baron
authors.affiliation: Molecular Tuberculosis Laboratory, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Edward A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Graviss
authors.affiliation: The Global TB Program, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.|Retrovirology and Global Health, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mandalakas
authors.affiliation: Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Stool; String test; Tuberculosis; Xpert MTB/RIF