Ramos, Eric;
Schumacher, Samuel G;
Siedner, Mark;
Herrera, Beatriz;
Quino, Willi;
Alvarado, Jessica;
Montoya, Rosario;
... Evans, Carlton A; + view all
(2010)
Optimizing Tuberculosis Testing for Basic Laboratories.
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH Journal)
, 83
(4)
pp. 896-901.
10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0566.
Preview |
PDF
8 Optimizing TB Testing.pdf - Published Version Download (635kB) | Preview |
Abstract
Optimal tuberculosis testing usually involves sputum centrifugation followed by broth culture. However, centrifuges are biohazardous and scarce in the resource-limited settings where most tuberculosis occurs. To optimize tuberculosis testing for these settings, centrifugation of 111 decontaminated sputum samples was compared with syringe-aspiration through polycarbonate membrane-filters that were then cultured in broth. To reduce the workload of repeated microscopic screening of broth cultures for tuberculosis growth, the colorimetric redox indicator 2,3-diphenyl-5-(2-thienyl) tetrazolium chloride was added to the broth, which enabled naked-eye detection of culture positivity. This combination of filtration and colorimetric growth-detection gave similar results to sputum centrifugation followed by culture microscopy regarding mean colony counts (43 versus 48; P = 0.6), contamination rates (0.9% versus 1.8%; P = 0.3), and sensitivity (94% versus 95%; P = 0.7), suggesting equivalency of the two methods. By obviating centrifugation and repeated microscopic screening of cultures, this approach may constitute a more appropriate technology for rapid and sensitive tuberculosis diagnosis in basic laboratories.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Optimizing Tuberculosis Testing for Basic Laboratories |
| Location: | United States |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0566 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0566 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health > Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Dept |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10176824 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
