Background: The emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), is a major menace to cast off TB worldwide. Line probe assay (LPA; GenoType MTBDRplus ver. 2) and Xpert MTB/RIF assays are two rapid molecular TB detection/diagnostic tests. To compare the performance of LPA and Xpert MTB/RIF assay for early diagnosis of rifampicin-resistant (RR) TB in acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear-positive and negative sputum samples. Methods: A total 576 presumptive AFB patients were selected and subjected to AFB microscopy, Xpert MTB/RIF assay and recent version of LPA (GenoType MTBDRplus assay version 2) tests directly on sputum samples. Results were compared with phenotypic culture and drug susceptibility testing (DST). DNA sequencing was performed with rpoB gene for samples with discordant rifampicin susceptibility results. Results: Among culture-positive samples, Xpert MTB/RIF assay detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in 97.3% (364/374) of AFB smear-positive samples and 76.5% (13/17) among smear-negative samples, and the corresponding values for LPA test (valid results with Mtb control band) were 97.9% (366/374) and 58.8% (10/17), respectively. For detection of RR among Mtb positive molecular results, the sensitivity of Xpert MTB/RIF assay and LPA (after resolving discordant phenotypic DST results with DNA sequencing) were found to be 96% and 99%, respectively. Whereas, specificity of both test for detecting RR were found to be 99%. Conclusion We conclude that although Xpert MTB/RIF assay is comparatively superior to LPA in detecting Mtb among AFB smear-negative pulmonary TB. However, both tests are equally efficient in early diagnosis of AFB smear-positive presumptive RR-TB patients.

Background: The emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), is a major menace to cast off TB worldwide. Line probe assay (LPA; GenoType MTBDRplus ver. 2) and Xpert MTB/RIF assays are two rapid molecular TB detection/diagnostic tests. To compare the performance of LPA and Xpert MTB/RIF assay for early diagnosis of rifampicin-resistant (RR) TB in acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear-positive and negative sputum samples. Methods: A total 576 presumptive AFB patients were selected and subjected to AFB microscopy, Xpert MTB/RIF assay and recent version of LPA (GenoType MTBDRplus assay version 2) tests directly on sputum samples. Results were compared with phenotypic culture and drug susceptibility testing (DST). DNA sequencing was performed with rpoB gene for samples with discordant rifampicin susceptibility results. Results: Among culture-positive samples, Xpert MTB/RIF assay detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in 97.3% (364/374) of AFB smear-positive samples and 76.5% (13/17) among smear-negative samples, and the corresponding values for LPA test (valid results with Mtb control band) were 97.9% (366/374) and 58.8% (10/17), respectively. For detection of RR among Mtb positive molecular results, the sensitivity of Xpert MTB/RIF assay and LPA (after resolving discordant phenotypic DST results with DNA sequencing) were found to be 96% and 99%, respectively. Whereas, specificity of both test for detecting RR were found to be 99%. Conclusion We conclude that although Xpert MTB/RIF assay is comparatively superior to LPA in detecting Mtb among AFB smear-negative pulmonary TB. However, both tests are equally efficient in early diagnosis of AFB smear-positive presumptive RR-TB patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The use of genetic probes for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) has been well described. However, the role of these assays in the diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis is unclear. We therefore assessed the diagnostic utility of the Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampicin (MTB/RIF) assay, and estimated the prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB in the Indian population. METHODS: Of 99 patients recruited, 37 had intestinal TB; two control groups comprised 43 with Crohn's disease (CD) and 19 with irritable bowel syndrome. Colonoscopy was performed before starting any therapy; mucosal biopsies were subjected to histopathology, acid-fast bacilli staining, Lowenstein-Jensen culture, and nucleic acid amplification testing using the Xpert MTB/RIF assay. Patients were followed up for 6 months to confirm the diagnosis and response to therapy. A composite reference standard was used for diagnosis of TB and assessment of the diagnostic utility of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay. RESULTS: Of 37 intestinal TB patients, the Xpert MTB/RIF assay was positive in three of 37 (8.1%), but none had MDR-TB. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay was 8.1%, 100%, 100%, and, 64.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The Xpert MTB/RIF assay has low sensitivity but high specificity for intestinal TB, and may be helpful in endemic tuberculosis areas, when clinicians are faced with difficulty differentiating TB and CD. Based on the Xpert MTB/RIF assay, the prevalence of intestinal MDR-TB is low in the Indian population.
Biopsy ; Colonoscopy ; Crohn Disease ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Mycobacterium ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary