GeneXpert Ultra- a New Diagnostic Era for Childhood Tuberculosis

Abstract

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious public health problem and a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge worldwide. Molecular diagnostic techniques are crucial in the World Health Organization’s new tubercular control strategy. Objective: The study aims to investigate the efficacy of GeneXpert Ultra in the diagnosis of childhood tuberculosis. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out in the pediatric pulmonology ward and general pediatric ward of the Institute of Child and Mother Health (ICMH), Matuail, Dhaka. Child ages ranging from two months to fifteen years who were admitted to the pediatric pulmonology ward and general pediatric ward of ICMH during the period of December 2020 to November 2021 with a history of fever, cough, chest pain, evening rise of temperature, night sweats, weight loss were included in this study. Results: Among the study population (N=99), almost all the patients (91, 91.2%) had cough, thirty-six patients (36, 36.3%) had cough for 2 weeks, and about half of the patients (49, 49.5%) had a productive cough, ninety patients (90, 90.9%) had fever, around one-fifth of the patients, had a fever more than two weeks. About half of the patients (47, 47.5%) had a high-grade intermittent fever. Evening rise of temperature was seen in around one-fourth of the patients (24, 24.2%). MT test was positive for two patients (2, 2.0%) and doubtful for two patients (2, 2.0%)., Seventeen patients (17, 17.1%) specimens were collected from induced sputum, around three-fifths of the patients’ (70, 70.7%) specimens were collected from gastric aspirate, eighty-two patients (82, 82.8%) specimens were collected from the stool and one patient’s specimen (1, 1.0%)was collected from pus produced in BCG vaccine site. GeneXpert ultra was detected in thirteen patients (13, 13.1%) and was trace detected in six patients (6, 6.0%). Of the 13 patients, 7 patients (7, 53.8%) were diagnosed with pulmonary TB, two patients (2, 15.4%) were .....