Author(s)

Ravi Mahat, Nadeem Rizvi, Nausheen Saifullah, Madiha Tawfik, Ashok Kumar

Department of Chest Medicine, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan.

Objective: To compare the yield from Gastric lavage (GL) and Broncho alveolar lavage (BAL) samples in adult patients suspected case of Tuberculosis but not producing sputum. Methodology: 80 adults with suspected case of tuberculosis but not producing sputum were recruited. 72 patients were then subjected to one gastric lavage followed by Broncho-alveolar lavage in the same morning. The collected samples were subjected to GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay. Result: Of the 72 patients samples, the mean age was 38.6 years. 41 (56.9%) were male and 31 (43.1%) were female. History of TB contact was present in 25 (34.7%) patients. 37 (51.4%) patients had GeneXpert MTB/RIF positive on BAL and/or GL samples. The GeneXpert MTB/RIF of BAL fluid was positive on 35 (48.6%), which was not significantly greater than that for specimens from GL, which was 28 (38.9%) (p > 0.05). In 26 (36.1%) cases, GeneXpert MTB/RIF was positive in both BAL and GL samples. Conclusion: This study showed the yield of GeneXpert MTB/RIF in GL was comparable to BAL to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Patients who can’t produce sputum, GL can be a good alternative to BAL to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in resource poor areas and patients who do not tolerate Bronchoscopy.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex, Rifampicin Resistance, Bronchoscopy, TB Suspects

Mahat, R. , Rizvi, N. , Saifullah, N. , Tawfik, M. and Kumar, A. (2016) Comparison of GeneXpert MTB/RIF Assay in Broncho Alveolar Lavage and Gastric Lavage Samples. Advances in Infectious Diseases, 6, 107-112. doi: 10.4236/aid.2016.63014.