RAPID IDENTIFICATION OF MYCOBACTERIUM-TUBERCULOSIS COMPLEX ON URINE SAMPLES BY GEN-PROBE AMPLIFICATION TEST

The aim of the study was to evaluate the applicability to urine sample s of the Amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis Direct Detection Test (A MTD), which is currently used to identify this organism in respiratory specimens within a few hours. The study was performed on 95 patients, comprising 35 subjects with a high index of suspicion for active tube rculosis of the urinary tract and 60 subjects with evidence of nonmyco bacterial disease. One urine specimen from each subject was examined b y microscopy, culture and AMTD. AMTD was positive in 38 specimens and negative in 57. Assuming culture as the reference standard, the sensit ivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of AMTD were 100%, 91.93%, 86.84% and 100%, respectively. Reasse ssing the discrepancies between AMTD and culture by review of patients ' charts, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of AMTD were 100%, 93.44%, 89.47% and 100%. The results of the study as well as the characteristics of AMTD encour age its use fdr the rapid recognition of urinary tract tuberculosis, a lthough its findings should be interpreted cautiously when the clinica l picture is not consistent with an active tuberculosis.