PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Alfaresi, Mubarak S.
AU  - Abdulsalam, Adeel I.
AU  - Elkoush, Abida A.
TI  - Comparison of the automated Cobas Amplicor Mycobacterium tuberculosis assay with the conventional methods for direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in respiratory and extrapulmonary specimens
DP  - 2006 Sep 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 1346--1351
VI  - 27
IP  - 9
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/27/9/1346.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/27/9/1346.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2006 Sep 01; 27
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the recently available Cobas Amplicor polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in well-characterized clinical specimens and to compare the results with clinical classification, conventional culture and staining techniques.METHODS: Three hundred and forty-four clinical specimens consecutively received for culture of acid-fast bacilli by the laboratory of Zayed Military Hospital, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from 2004 to 2005, were used in this study. Acid-fast bacilli and culture for tuberculosis were compared with Cobas Amplicor PCR.RESULTS: The final diagnostic evaluation of the Cobas Amplicor MTB showed the followings: sensitivity 73.3%, specificity 99.4%, positive predictive value 84.6%, negative predictive value 98.8% and with accuracy of 98.2% for the Cobas Amplicor MTB assay.CONCLUSION: The automated Cobas Amplicor MTB assay is suitable for routine use in clinical laboratories.