Multiplex PCR for rapid diagnosis of gastrointestinal tuberculosis

Kusum Sharma; Saroj Kant Sinha; Aman Sharma; Ritambra Nada; Kaushal K Prasad; Kapil Goyal; Surinder Singh Rana; Deepak Kumar Bhasin; Meera Sharma

doi:10.4103/0974-777X.112272

Multiplex PCR for rapid diagnosis of gastrointestinal tuberculosis

J Glob Infect Dis. 2013 Apr;5(2):49-53. doi: 10.4103/0974-777X.112272.

Authors

Kusum Sharma¹, Saroj Kant Sinha, Aman Sharma, Ritambra Nada, Kaushal K Prasad, Kapil Goyal, Surinder Singh Rana, Deepak Kumar Bhasin, Meera Sharma

Affiliation

¹ Department of Medical Microbiology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.

Abstract

Background: Rapid and specific diagnosis of gastrointestinal tuberculosis (GITB) is of utmost importance.

Aim: To evaluate Multiplex PCR (MPCR) using MPB64 and IS6110 primers specific for M. tuberculosis for rapid diagnosis of GITB.

Materials and methods: MPCR was performed on colonoscopy biopsy specimens on 11 GITB confirmed (culture/AFB/histopathology was positive), 29 GITB suspected and 30 Non GITB (control group) patients.

Results: MPB64 PCR had sensitivity and specificity of 90% and 100% for confirmed GITB cases. In 29 clinically diagnosed but unconfirmed GITB cases, MPCR was positive in 72.41%. MPCR was negative in all control group patients. The overall sensitivity and specificity of microscopy, culture, histopathology and MPCR was 5%, 2% 20% and 77.5% and 100%, 100%, 100% and 100% respectively.

Conclusion: MPCR has good sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing gastrointestinal tuberculosis.

Keywords: Gastrointestinal tract; Multiplex PCR; Tuberculosis.