Commercial serological tests for the diagnosis of active tuberculosis in India: Time for introspection

摘要: India accounts for one fifth of the global TB burden – a total 9.2 million new cases and 1.7 deaths every year1,2. There are two main components effective control programme: rapid sensitive diagnosis disease containment its spread to uninfected population. The sputum smear microscopy, still backbone diagnosis, is less can miss half pulmonary cases. conventional culture method which uses egg based medium (Lowenstein-Jensen, L-J) time consuming lacks desirable detection level. Liquid automated methods, such as Bactec-MGIT (BD, USA) MB-Bact (Biomerieux, France) have highly improved rates, comparatively much faster (median 10-24 days) but costly requiring air handling infection measures1. Molecular methods polymerase chain reaction (PCR) modified versions come boon in tuberculosis. Despite limitation detecting dead bacilli, PCR (report be made available on same day) precise, depending gene sequences targeted protocols used. These used various clinical samples sputum, tissue biopsies, cerebrospinal other body fluids, lymph nodes aspirates, urine, faeces, etc1. In resource limited settings like India, tuberculosis rates suboptimal mainly because usually by tools microscopy chest X-rays. poor lead mismanagement infectious possibility drug resistance development. However, non-availability affordable, precise diagnostic at peripheral level led mushrooming commercial serological tests2–4. Extensive reviews meta-analyses concluded that presently antibody tests no good while helpful diseases. In view this, WHO has recently issued an advisory2. This editorial provides academic overview issue.