Performance of ICT-TB test in the detection of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis

Area of Science:

• Medical Diagnostics
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Tuberculosis (TB) poses a significant public health challenge, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan.
• There is a critical need for simple, economical, and non-invasive diagnostic tools for early TB detection to mitigate complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of an immunochromatographic test (ICT-TB) as a diagnostic aid for pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
• To determine the sensitivity and specificity of ICT-TB in various forms of TB.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 129 patients with confirmed tuberculosis (including smear-positive PTB, smear-negative PTB, TB pleural effusion, and TB lymphadenitis) and 25 controls was conducted.
• Antibody detection using ICT-TB was performed on patient samples.
• The diagnostic performance, including sensitivity and specificity, was calculated for each TB subgroup.

Main Results:

• Antibody detection rates varied: 44% in sputum-positive PTB, 36% in sputum-negative PTB, 20% in TB pleural effusion, and 35% in TB lymphadenitis.
• The immunochromatographic test demonstrated 100% specificity, with no positive results in the control group.
• Overall sensitivity was 44% for sputum-positive PTB, 36% for sputum-negative PTB, 20% for TB pleural effusion, and 35% for TB lymphadenitis.

Conclusions:

• The immunochromatographic test (ICT-TB) serves as a highly specific diagnostic aid for both pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
• While specific, the test exhibits lower sensitivity, indicating its role as an adjunct rather than a standalone diagnostic tool.