Abstract
Currently, pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) isolation recommendations are based on serial sputum smear microscopy. To assess infectiousness of smear-negative/GeneXpert-positive (Sm-/GXpert+) pulmonary TB, we evaluated 511 contacts of pulmonary TB patients attended at a teaching hospital in Spain (2010–2018). There were no statistically significant differences in rates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (46.2% contacts of smear-positive and 34.6% contacts of Sm-/GXpert+ pulmonary TB patients, p = 0.112). Sm-/GXpert+ pulmonary TB poses a substantial risk of transmission of M. tuberculosis infection. Our results add evidence to support including Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (XpertⓇMTB/RIF) in the work-up diagnosis of suspected pulmonary TB cases to make decisions on air-borne isolation.
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