Phage amplification technology for the rapid detect ion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex-clinical utility for the diagnosis of pulm onary tuberculosis

Rapid, low cost and sensitive methods play signific ant role in the treatment and management of Tubercu losis. Study includes utility of Phage Amplification Technology in parallel with in-house mpb-64 based PCR, microscopy, and BACTEC 460 Tuberculosis culture method for Mycobact erium Tuberculosis complex detection. Six hundred pulmonary specimens which include 300 sputum and 30 0 bronchial alveolar lavage (BAL) specimens), were considered for the study. The sensitivity, of AFB s mear, PCR and FAST Plaque Tuberculosis (FPA) assay for the BAL were 50.9%, 90.2% and 88.67%respectively. While in case of sputum specimens the sensitivity, of AF B smear, PCR method and FASTPlaque TB assay test were 58.25% , 87.37%, 85.85% respectively. In conclusion, FPA p roved to be sensitive, cheap, relative to the PCR and rap id than the culture. It gives result within 48 hour s comparative to the culture which takes 2-6 weeks for the detection . In contrast to PCR, where it can not differentiat e dead and live bacilli, FPA can detect live bacilli.