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  • Title: Rapid molecular diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis using the Gen-probe Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis direct test in a large Canadian public health laboratory.
    Author: Chedore P, Jamieson FB.
    Journal: Int J Tuberc Lung Dis; 2002 Oct; 6(10):913-9. PubMed ID: 12365579.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: A 5-year retrospective study of the performance of the Gen-Probe Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test (MTD) for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Patient data from culture-confirmed cases of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) were also analysed. RESULTS: In total, 311 CSF specimens were tested by the MTD, of which 17 were positive. When compared with culture (gold standard), the sensitivity and specificity of the MTD test were 93.8% and 99.3%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values for TBM were 88.2%, and 99.7%. Clinical and epidemiological information was requested for all culture-positive TBM patients. These data were used to assess the mortality rate (55.6%) and to determine common factors that could be applied as selection criteria for the appropriate testing of CSF by MTD. CONCLUSION: The study found the MTD test to be a rapid, sensitive and specific test for TBM. A history of immigration from an area endemic for tuberculosis (TB), a history of TB, symptoms of neurological deficits and the results of CSF analyses could be used to appropriately select CSF for MTD testing in order to provide a critical early diagnosis of TBM.
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