Transrenal Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in pulmonary tuberculosis patients during the first 14 days of treatment

This study presents the results of the evaluation of a novel method for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, in urine. Detecting parts of the mycobacteria in urine is of particular interest as it allows us to use a sample that is easy to obtain and that does not require uncomfortable procedures or safety precautions like obtaining sputum for culture, which is the most commonly used sample in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. In certain groups of individuals who cannot produce sputum, for example, children, non-sputum-based methods have particular importance. We found that the method tested was able to detect bacterial killing by active antibiotics that disrupt the cell wall and lead to fragmentation of bacteria. However, the assay can't detect inactive bacteria or bacteria that are active with an intact cell wall.