This paper introduced some techniques of molecular biology in the diagnosis of tuberculosis including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), RFLP, KT, NASBA, M. tuberculosis AMTDT, KTLCX, LCR Abbott, TMA, QB... and biochemistry and microbiology such as analysis of specific lipid components and cell septal of M. tuberculosis by chromatography and determination of fatty acid in the cell septal of M. tuberculosis
Tuberculosis ; Biochemistry ; microbiology ; diagnosis

Tuberculosis of the thyroid gland is an uncommon disease and primary involvement of thyroid is even more rare. It is a rare disease even in countries in which tuberculosis is endemic. The diagnosis is often difficult as the clinical presentation has no distinct characteristics. Clinical course of the disease may resemble toxic goiter or acute thyroiditis or may follow a subacute or chronic growth pattern without specific symptomatology. Histologically presence of necrotizing epithelioid cell granulomas along with langhans type giant cells are the hallmark of thyroid tuberculosis. Demonstration of acid fast bacilli by ZN staining confirms the diagnosis, but this stain is frequently negative in tissue sections.
Adult ; Female ; Granuloma ; microbiology ; pathology ; Humans ; Thyroid Gland ; microbiology ; pathology ; Thyroiditis ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features, diagnosis and treatments of primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis. METHOD: A case report was presented, and meanwhile etiopathogenesis and differential diagnosis were also reviewed. RESULT: A biopsy was taken and the histopathological examination showed tuberculosis granuloma with caseous necrosis. After anti-tuberculosis therapy, the symptoms disappeared. CONCLUSION Not only otologic disorders but also nasopharyngeal diseases need to be considered when aural fullness exists. More importantly, primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis should be taken as one of the differential diagnosis.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Diseases ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo explore the influences of intervention on the abilities of detecting pulmonary tuberculosis cases in general hospitals.

METHODSWe selected 6 general hospitals at 3 different levels (A, B, and C). The intervened group included hospitals A1, B1, and C1, and the non-intervened group included hospitals A2, B2, and C2. The results after intervention were compared.

RESULTSThe report rate of pulmonary tuberculosis, sputum positive rate of reported cases, and sputum check rate of reported cases were significantly higher in hospital A1 than grouping hospital A2 (P = 0.000, P = 0.045, and P = 0.017, respectively). The report rate and sputum examination rate of reported cases were significantly higher in hospital B1 than grouping hospital B2 (P = 0.000, P = 0.024, respectively). The report rate and sputum examination rate of reported cases were significantly lower in hospital C1 than grouping hospital C2 (P = 0.000, P = 0.001, respectively). In hospital A1, the report rate, sputum positive rate of reported cases, and sputum check rate of reported cases were not significantly different before and after intervention (P = 0.182, P = 0.116, and P = 0.583, respectively). In hospital B1, the report rate were significantly different before and after intervention (P = 0.004), while the sputum positive rate of reported cases and sputum check rate of reported cases were not significantly different (P = 0.909, P = 0.052, respectively). In hospital C1, the report rate was significantly higher after intervention (P = 0.025). In hospital C2, the sputum check rate significantly increased (P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONSIntervention influences the hospitals abilities to detect pulmonary tuberculosis cases. However, more optimized and long-term intervention mechanism should be established to increase case detection rate of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Sputum ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; diagnosis

Adult ; Diagnostic Errors ; Endophthalmitis ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Female ; Humans ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; isolation & purification ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; microbiology ; Uveitis ; diagnosis

Tuberculosis ranks as the second deadly infectious disease worldwide. The incidence of tuberculosis is high in China. Refractory wound caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection ranks high in misdiagnosis, and it is accompanied by a protracted course, and its pathogenic mechanism is still not so clear. In order to study its pathogenic mechanism, it is necessary to reproduce an appropriate animal model. Up to now the study of the refractory wound caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is just beginning, and there is still no unimpeachable model for study. This review describes two models which may reproduce a wound similar to the wound caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, so that they could be used to study the pathogenesis and characteristics of a tuberculosis wound in an animal.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; isolation & purification ; pathogenicity ; Surgical Wound Infection ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis ; complications ; diagnosis ; microbiology

OBJECTIVETo present an integrated molecular biology dedicated system for tuberculosis diagnosis.

METHODSOne hundred and five sputum specimens from patients strongly suspected by clinical parameters of tuberculosis were studied by Ziehl-Neelsen staining, by cultivation on solid medium and by a balanced heminested fluorometric PCR system (Orange G3TB) that could preserve worker safety and produce a rather pure material free of potential inhibitors. DNA amplification was performed in a low cost tuberculosis termocycler-fluorometer. Produced double stranded DNA was flurometrically detected. The whole reaction was conducted in one single tube which would not be opened after adding the processed sample in order to minimize the risk of cross contamination with amplicons.

RESULTSThe assay was able to detect 30 bacillus per sample mL with 99.8% interassay variation coefficient. PCR was positive in 23 (21.9%) tested samples (21 of them were smear negative). In our study it showed a preliminary sensitivity of 94.5% for sputum and an overall specificity of 98.7%.

CONCLUSIONSTotal run time of the test is 4 h with 2.5 real working time. All PCR positive samples are also positive by microbiological culture and clinical criteria. Results show that it could be a very useful tool to increase detection efficiency of tuberculosis disease in low bacilus load samples. Furthermore, its low cost and friendly using make it feasible to run in poor regions.

Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; methods ; Humans ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sputum ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis ; diagnosis ; microbiology

Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; methods ; Humans ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; isolation & purification ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; diagnosis ; microbiology

BACKGROUND: Early laboratory detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is crucial for controlling tuberculosis. We developed a hydrogel mycobacterial culture method that retains the advantages of both solid and liquid methods in terms of speed, cost, and efficiency. METHODS: Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) suspensions and 200 acid-fast bacilli (AFB)-positive clinical specimens were inoculated in Middlebrook 7H9 liquid media (Becton-Dickinson and Company, USA) and mixed with 75 microL of 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc)-Phe-Phe-OH hydrogel stock solution in an Eppendorf tube just before culture incubation. The mixtures were cultured at 37degrees C for as long as 14 days to monitor culture status. RESULTS: The number of M. bovis BCG increased with time. For 200 AFB smear-positive specimens, 155 of 158 conventional culture-positive specimens and 4 culture-negative or contaminated specimens yielded positive cultures within 14 days. For 128 specimens positive with the liquid culture method, the time to positive culture using the hydrogel method (mean, 12.6 days; range, 7 to 14 days) was significantly shorter than that for conventional liquid culture (mean, 16.2 days; range, 6 to 31 days; P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The hydrogel scaffold culture system is useful for timely, economical, and efficient detection of mycobacteria in clinical specimens.
Bacteriological Techniques/*methods ; Culture Media/chemistry ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hydrogel/*chemistry ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/*isolation & purification ; Tuberculosis/diagnosis/*microbiology

Tuberculous encephalopathy (TBE) is an important diagnosis in countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis. TBE is a life-threatening condition but rarely reported in the modern literature. We reported a case of a man with extensive parenchymal lesions involving the brainstem and right cerebellar hemisphere that resolved after treatment. The clinical, laboratory and pathological features of this case are highlighted and the pathogenesis is discussed.
Aged ; Antitubercular Agents ; therapeutic use ; Brain Diseases ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Male ; Tuberculosis, Central Nervous System ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; microbiology