Incidence of false-positive seroreactivity to brucellosis in tuberculous patients

Abstract

Objectives This work aimed to study the incidence of false-positive brucellosis among tuberculosis (TB) patients and to study the difference between the standard tubal agglutination method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the presence of false-positive results when used in the diagnosis of brucellosis. Background The diagnosis of brucellosis is usually made by the standard tubal agglutination method and ELISA, but false-positive results are observed by the two methods in TB patients as well as normal individuals. Comparison between the TB patients and normal individuals for the presence of false-positive brucellosis is very important. Patients and methods A comparison between TB patients and normal individuals was performed for the presence of false-positive brucellosis using both tubal agglutination methods and ELISA; tubal agglutination methods and ELISA were compared for false-positive results when used in diagnosing brucellosis. Results Ten percent of TB patients had false seropositive brucellosis by both ELISA and tubal agglutination methods, whereas 2.5% of normal individuals had false seropositive brucellosis by both ELISA and tubal agglutination methods; these results were statistically insignificant. There were no statistically significant differences between the results obtained by Brucella ELISA and tubal agglutination methods when used in the diagnosis of brucellosis. Conclusion Four out of 40 TB patients showed false positive seroreactivity for brucellosis, whereas one out of 40 individuals included as controls showed false positive seroreactivity for brucellosis; these results were statistically insignificant. That is, there was no statistically significant difference between TB patients and normal individuals in false positive seroreactivity for brucellosis. There was no statistically significant difference between the results obtained from ELISA and the tubal agglutination test in false positive seroreactivity for brucellosis.