This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Alcaide, F.
Right arrow Articles by Martín, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Alcaide, F.
Right arrow Articles by Martín, R.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2003, p. 2867-2871, Vol. 41, No. 7
0095-1137/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.41.7.2867-2871.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Usefulness of a New Mycobacteriophage-Based Technique for Rapid Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Fernando Alcaide,1* Nuria Galí,2 José Domínguez,2 Pilar Berlanga,1 Silvia Blanco,2 Pilar Orús,1 and Rogelio Martín1

Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat,1 Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain2

Received 3 January 2003/ Returned for modification 18 February 2003/ Accepted 24 March 2003

A new mycobacteriophage-based technique (PhageTek MB) was compared with standard culture and staining techniques for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. A total of 2,048 respiratory specimens from 1,466 patients collected from February 2000 to March 2001 were studied by both (i) conventional methods (direct microscopic examination [auramine-rhodamine fluorochrome], and culture in BacT/ALERT 3D and solid media) and (ii) the PhageTek MB assay. This phenotypic test utilizes specific mycobacteriophages to detect the presence of live Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex organisms within a decontaminated clinical sample. Overall, 205 (10%) specimens were positive for mycobacteria (134 patients): 144 (70.2%) M. tuberculosis isolates and 61 (29.8%) nontuberculous mycobacterium isolates (30 Mycobacterium kansasii, 12 Mycobacterium xenopi, 9 Mycobacterium gordonae, 7 Mycobacterium avium complex, 2 Mycobacterium chelonae, and 1 Mycobacterium fortuitum isolate). PhageTek MB was more likely to give a positive result with specimens in which high numbers of acid-fast bacilli were observed on the smear. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of this mycobacteriophage-based technique versus culture for M. tuberculosis were 58.3, 99.1, 83.2, and 96.9%, respectively. PhageTek MB is a rapid (48-h), specific, safe, and easy-to-perform test. According to the prevalence of the disease in the population studied, the test would require improved sensitivity in order to be used as a screening test for routine diagnosis of respiratory tuberculosis in our setting.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, C/Feixa Llarga s/n, 08907 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. Phone: 34-93-2607930. Fax: 34-93-2607547. E-mail: falcaide{at}csub.scs.es.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2003, p. 2867-2871, Vol. 41, No. 7
0095-1137/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.41.7.2867-2871.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Stanley, E. C., Mole, R. J., Smith, R. J., Glenn, S. M., Barer, M. R., McGowan, M., Rees, C. E. D. (2007). Development of a New, Combined Rapid Method Using Phage and PCR for Detection and Identification of Viable Mycobacterium paratuberculosis Bacteria within 48 Hours. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 1851-1857 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Gali, N., Dominguez, J., Blanco, S., Prat, C., Alcaide, F., Coll, P., Ausina, V., the Mycobacteria Research Group of Barcelona, (2006). Use of a Mycobacteriophage-Based Assay for Rapid Assessment of Susceptibilities of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates to Isoniazid and Influence of Resistance Level on Assay Performance. J. Clin. Microbiol. 44: 201-205 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rybniker, J., Kramme, S., Small, P. L. (2006). Host range of 14 mycobacteriophages in Mycobacterium ulcerans and seven other mycobacteria including Mycobacterium tuberculosis - application for identification and susceptibility testing. J Med Microbiol 55: 37-42 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»