Application of Gene Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA and resistance to rifampicin assay in the rapid detection of tuberculosis in children

Abstract

To detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and rifampin resistance of the clinical specimens in children by Xpert MTB DNA and resistance to rifampicin(MTB/RIF) detection system, and evaluate the application value of this method in children with tuberculosis. Data of 109 children cases of clinically suspected tuberculosis were collected (including 46 gastric lavage aspirate, 19 sputum, 10 fine needle aspiration biopsy, 4 pus, 14 cerebrospinal fluid, 11 Serous membrance fluid, 1 marrow, 3 stool, 1 urine specimens)between April 2014 and March 2015. All specimens were detected by smear fluorescence staining microscopy, MGIT 960 BACTEC liquid culture, Xpert MTB/RIF assay and T-SPOT.TB test respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of Xpert MTB/RIF assay were analyzed in those clinical specimens. The sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay for MTB detection in childhood tuberculosis clinical specimen were 28.6% and 87.5%. The sensitivity of 65 pulmonary tuberculosis(46 gastric lavage aspirate, 19 sputum) which included gastric lavage aspirates and sputum was 33.3% and 57.1%, the specificity of the two was 100.0%. In 44 extrapulmonary tuberculosis, the sensitivity of the pus and the puncture fluid was higher and approached 100.0%. The detection rate of the cerebrospinal fluid and serous cavity effusion was very low. The sensitivity was 100.0% in smear-positive and culture-positive samples and only 30.8% to 50.0% in smear-negative and culture-positive samples. The sensitivity and specificity of Xpert MTB/RIF assay to detect rifampin resistance were 100.0%. In clinical samples, the sensitivity of Xpert MTB/RIF assay was higher than that of smear fluorescence staining microscopy, but the difference was not statistically significant (χ(2)=0, P>0.05). The result was equivalent to that of MGIT 960 BACTEC liquid culture (28.6% vs. 27.3%, χ(2)=2.50, P>0.05), and far below that of T-SPOT.TB(28.6% vs 59.7%, χ(2)=13.92, P<0.05). Xpert MTB/RIF assay did not show obvious advantage in childhood tuberculosis, especially in serous cavity effusion and cerebrospinal fluid, but the advantages of detecting tuberculosis rapidly and resistance to rifampin can provide help for the clinical diagnosis and treatment in childrenhood tuberculosis.