[Evaluation of Anyplex MTB/NTM Test for The Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Clinical Specimens]

One of the most important steps for the control of tuberculosis is rapid and accurate detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical samples. The early and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis allows the initiation of the effective treatment regimen as early as possible. However the early diagnosis of tuberculosis can be achieved by the integration of molecular methods into the diagnostic algorithm of tuberculosis together with the gold standard culture methods. For this reason, molecular methods have become valuable diagnostic tools in routine diagnostic laboratories in recent years. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic efficacy of Anyplex MTB/NTM test (Seegene, South Korea) used for the molecular diagnosis of tuberculosis in routine molecular diagnostic laboratories. In addition to this aim, a preliminary evaluation of in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers that was designed to produce a kit as an alternative against imported commercial kits was performed. Ten thousand six hundred fifthy two clinical specimens that were collected from suspected tuberculosis cases in three years were included in the study. All samples were tested by microscopic examination after staining, culture and real-time PCR (Rt-PCR) methods. The smears were examined by microscope after staining with Kinyoun method for the existence of acid resistant bacilli. For culture, following the N-acetyl-L-sistein-sodium hydroxide homogenization and decontamination procedure, the samples were inoculated into the MGIT (Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube) tubes (Becton Dickinson, USA). Rt-PCR method was performed by using Anyplex MTB/NTM test. In the first stage of the study, the performance of the Anyplex MTB/NTM test was compared with the gold standard culture method. M.tuberculosis was isolated in 178 specimens out of 10.652 (1.7%). After the comparison with the gold standard culture method, the sensitivity and specificity of Anyplex MTB/NTM test was found to be 84% and 99% respectively in pulmonary samples, and 74% and 99% respectively in extrapulmonary samples. In the second stage of the study, PCR method with laboratory designed primers was applied to 100 culture positive samples. The PCR results of 98 samples were found to be in agreement with the culture, while M.tuberculosis DNA was not detected in two samples. As a result of the study it was concluded that Anyplex MTB/NTM test is a rapid, practical and reliable method that can be used in routine tuberculosis diagnosis. The high agreement between PCR method using the laboratory-designed primers and the PCR method used in routine practice will lighten the way for the development of national tuberculosis molecular diagnostic kits with a relevant cost. In this way, it will be possible to perform rapid diagnosis in a more cost-effective manner in routine diagnosis laboratories.