Comparison of PCR and MGIT 960 fl orometric methods in the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract

Tuberculosis infection is one of the most important lung diseases in both the world and Turkey. It is very important to have an accurate and reliable diagnosis of M. tuberculosis, which is a tuberculosis agent. Although culture is the golden standard method in the diagnosis, patients receive results earlier with molecular diagnostic methods, since they are faster. The aim of the present study was to compare molecular and culture diagnostic methods used in the diagnosis of M. tuberculosis and to investigate at what rate molecular methods help the diagnosis. The study included 152 patients (61 females, 91 males) who were admitted to the Microbiology Laboratory of the Medical School of Gaziantep University Şahinbey Research and Practice Hospital. After applying the decontamination and homogenization process to patient samples, culture and PCR were performed. When the results were evaluated by comparing 12 patients in culture, 11 patients in PCR were confi rmed positive. Among the samples, one surgical material and a sputum sample came up with results positive in culture and negative in PCR. The differences in the results of our study in two procedures may be associated with sample type, the presence of dead bacillary, and DNA loss that may occur in the decontamination homogenization process. It is important to diagnose tuberculosis accurately and fast. However, it should be noted that the molecular systems are more costly.