Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 2, 2025

Diagnosing Pulmonary Tuberculosis with the Xpert MTB/RIF Test
Published on: April 9, 2012
Adenosine deaminase negative pleural tuberculosis: a case report
Zachary H Boggs1, Scott Heysell2, Joshua Eby2
1University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA. zb3ca@virginia.edu.
Background:
A pleural fluid adenosine deaminase (ADA) has been used globally to assist in the diagnosis of a tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) with a notable negative predictive value.
Case Presentation:
We report a case of a patient with a negative pleural fluid ADA who was found to have culture-positive and biopsy-proven Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Conclusions:
This case shows the importance of pursuing gold standard diagnostic studies when clinical suspicion remains high despite negative preliminary testing. We further describe gaps in research to improve pleural fluid biomarkers for TPE.
Related Concept Videos
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis V
Latent tuberculosis infection occurs when TB bacteria are present in a person's body, but are not causing illness or symptoms. It is not contagious, and preventive treatment is crucial to avoid the...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis III
The first classification is based on the development of the disease, and it includes the following categories:
Pulmonary Tuberculosis II
Here is a detailed explanation of its pathophysiology:
Transmission: The process begins when a person inhales droplet nuclei containing M. tuberculosis. These are typically released into the air when an individual with pulmonary or...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...
Pleural Effusion I: Introduction
There are two main types of pleural effusion: transudative and exudative. They are differentiated using Light's...

