Diagnosis of mycobacterium tuberculosis by PCR technique

Abstract

In the present research work, a specific 285 bp DNA fragment was used for detection of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis complex. 100 samples were chosen randomly from sputum specimens that were negative with conventional methods (direct smear, culture, and radiometry), and examined by PCR; 7 cases of them were positive. Also, 20 sputum specimens were obtained from suspected patients to tuberculosis, and examined by three methods (culture, radiometry and PCR). The sensitivity of PCR compared with culture and radiometry was 100%, the specificity of PCR compared with culture was 91.66%, and compared with radiometry was 68.75%. Therefore, results of PCR revealed, this method is more sensitive, specific and rapid and it can detect ycobacterial infectious agents within one day period.