False-Positive Amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis Direct Tests in Skin Specimens of Leprosy

The amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M tuberculosis) direct test (MTD) is reported to be a highly sensitive (92.6%) and specific (100%) test for the detection of M tuberculosis. We report two cases of human leprosy in which false-positive amplified MTD testing on skin biopsies led to initial misdiagnoses of cutaneous M tuberculosis.