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Abstract
Clinical specimens unfit for laboratory processing represent missed opportunities for diagnosing tuberculosis. Poor-quality cough specimens (n=61) from presumptive tuberculosis cases were cultured and GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) successfully performed on samples transferred by flocked swab into PrimeStore molecular transport medium (PS-MTM). Mycobacterium tuberculosis was grown in culture from 13 (21.3 %) and Xpert reported 15 (24.2 %) positive, of which 10 concordant. RT-PCR of PS-MTM samples showed enhanced sensitivity; three positives were missed by Xpert, five by culture and three more detected for a total of 21 positives (34.4 %).
- Received:
- Accepted:
- Published Online:
Keyword(s):
flocked swabs
,
GeneXpert MTB/RIF
,
poor quality specimens
,
primeStore molecular transport medium
and
RT-PCR
Funding
-
National Research Foundation
- Principle Award Recipient: Bernard P Fourie
-
National Research Foundation
- Principle Award Recipient: Tondani Asaph Mboneni
© 2020 The Authors