[Bacteriological diagnosis of tuberculosis].

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

• Microscopic examination and culture are standard for tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment.
• Molecular techniques like nucleic acid amplification and line probe assays offer faster identification and susceptibility testing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the current role of molecular tests in tuberculosis diagnosis.
• To compare the efficacy of traditional methods versus molecular assays.

Main Methods:

• Review of current diagnostic practices for tuberculosis.
• Analysis of the application of nucleic acid amplification and line probe assays.

Main Results:

• Microscopy and culture are essential for active tuberculosis diagnosis and therapeutic decisions.
• Molecular assays expedite mycobacterial identification and susceptibility testing in smear-positive or culture specimens.
• Molecular tests are also effective for Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain comparison (genotyping).

Conclusions:

• Molecular tests are valuable for specific applications in tuberculosis diagnostics, particularly in smear-positive or culture-positive samples.
• Current molecular technologies are not suitable for diagnosing smear-negative or culture-negative tuberculosis.