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MTB/RIF

Indications: - drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Principle: - uses polymerase-chain-reaction testing to detect variants of Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene (rpoB) associated with drug resistance - turnaround time is 2 hours - sensitivity: a) ~98% sensitive in detecting culture-positive TB b) > 99% for smear- & culture-positive cases c) 72% for smear-negative culture-positive cases - sensitivity 99%, specificity 100% in detecting rifampin resistance Notes: - $60 to perform; instruments themselves cost $30,000 (2010)

General

point of care test

References

  1. Journal Watch, Massachusetts Medical Society Physician's First Watch for September 9, 2010 David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief - Boehme CC et al, Rapid molecular detection of tuberculosis and rifampin resistance. N Engl J Med. 2010 Sep 9;363(11):1005-15. PMID: 20825313