Rapid molecular detection of extrapulmonary tuberculosis by the automated GeneXpert MTB/RIF system

J Clin Microbiol. 2011 Apr;49(4):1202-5. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02268-10. Epub 2011 Jan 26.

Abstract

In total, 521 nonrespiratory specimens (91 urine, 30 gastric aspirate, 245 tissue, 113 pleural fluid, 19 cerebrospinal fluid [CSF], and 23 stool specimens) submitted to the German National Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria (NRL) from May 2009 to August 2010 were comparatively investigated with the new molecular-based GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay system and conventional liquid and solid culture methods. Twenty (3.8%) of the 521 specimens gave no interpretable result. Whereas the sensitivity of the Xpert assay with tissue specimens was 69.0% (20 out of 29 culture-positive cases detected), 100% sensitivity was found with the urine and stool specimens. The combined sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert assay were calculated to be 77.3% and 98.2%, respectively.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Automation / methods*
  • Bacteriological Techniques / methods*
  • Germany
  • Humans
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / methods*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / growth & development
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Time Factors
  • Tuberculosis / diagnosis*