TITLE:
Stool as Appropriate Sample for the Diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Gene Xpert Test
AUTHORS:
Seble Haile Welday, Andrew Nyerere Kimang’a, Beatrice Muthoni Kabera, Josphine Wahogo Mburu, Christina Mwachari, Elizabeth Mungai, Stanley Mugambi Ndwiga, Joseph Kariuki Mbuthia, Gunturu Revathi
KEYWORDS:
Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB), Pediatric, Stool, Xpert MTB/RIF, Smear Microscopy, Mycobacterium tuberculosis
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Respiratory Diseases,
Vol.4 No.3,
August
11,
2014
ABSTRACT:
Background: Diagnosis of pediatric pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a challenge. Symptoms are
nonspecific. Young children are unable to expectorate sputum samples; the procedures for obtaining
respiratory samples are invasive. Thus Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures and smears
often are not performed. Stool samples were used as an alternative to respiratory samples for the
diagnosis of pediatric PTB using stool Xpert MTB/RIF and its sensitivity for detecting the DNA of
MTB in stool was determined. Methods: The study was a laboratory-based cross-sectional prospective
design. Stool specimen was collected from PTB suspected children (Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA can be
detected in stool using Xpert testing with a higher sensitivity. Therefore stool which can easily be
obtained is an appropriate alternative sample for the diagnosis of PTB using Xpert assay for children
unable to give respiratory samples. Furthermore Xpert turn round time is less than 2 hours.