Background: Tuberculosis (TB) has been a major health
problem in developing countries.
Rapid diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection
plays a critical role in controlling the spread of tuberculosis.
Conventional methods may take up to several weeks or longer
to produce results. This study aimed to compare different
methods like culture on Bio F-M media, automated BacT/
ALERT MP bottles, and urine lipoarabinomnnan by ELISA.
Subjects and Methods: This study was done on 100 patients
suspected to have tuberculosis, cases divided into two groups:
(Group A): 68 clinically suspected pulmonary TB cases.
(Group B): 32 clinically suspected extrapulmonary TB cases.
All samples from Group A and B were subjected to direct
staining by Zeihl-Neelsen stain, culture of the samples on
Lowenstein Jensen media, Bio FM media and automated
BacT/ALERT MP bottles and detection of urine lipoarabinomannan
by ELISA.
Results: In suspected pulmonary tuberculosis cases the
sensitivity and specificity of Bio FM were 87.2%, 100%
respectively, sensitivity and specificity of BacT/ALERT MP
were 74.4%, 100% respectively, sensitivity and specificity of
urine lipoarabinomannan were 20.5%, 96.9% respectively
and in suspected extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases were the
sensitivity and specificity of Bio FM were 87.5%, 100%
respectively, sensitivity and specificity of BacT/ALERT MP
were 50%, 100% respectively, sensitivity and specificity of
urine lipoarabinomannan were 12.5%, 100% respectively.
Conclusion: The sensitivity of both solid (Lowenstein
Jensen) and liquid (Bio FM) media were the same and better
than BacT/ALERT MP. Bio FM media and BacT/ALERT MP
show shorter time than Lowenstein Jensen for detection of
mycobacterial growth. Detection of urine lipoarabinomannan
by ELISA is insensitive for the diagnosis of TB.