Detection of Tuberculosis on Culture, Comparison of Findings with Fluorescence Microscopy and GeneXpert

The GeneXpert MTB/RIF technique is used for the identification of tuberculosis and rifampicin (RIF) resistance. Xpert MTB / RIF provides patients with distinct advantages such as early diagnosis. Objectives: To compared the performance of fluorescence microscopy and GeneXpert with culture in TB samples from Narowal, Pakistan. Methods: A total of 299 TB positive specimens were obtained. Among these 54% (n = 160) were categorized to be obtained from male and 46% (n = 139) from female population. The sensitivity and specificity of fluorescence microscopy, GeneXpert and culture of TB samples were done. Results: The parameters including sensitivity and specificity calculated for GeneXpert were 73% and 100%, respectively, while the sensitivity and specificity calculated for culture was 100% and the sensitivity and specificity for FM microscope were 43% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions: We conclude that the GeneXpert is more sensitive than FM considering culture as a gold standard. Although the GeneXpert assay was also shown to be able to detect a limited number of bacillus from samples, the culture's sensitivity and specificity were both 100%.