Improved diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis using the microscopic- observation drug-susceptibility technique.

Tovar, Marco; Siedner, Mark J; Gilman, Robert H; Santillan, Carlos; Caviedes, Luz; Valencia, Teresa; Jave, Oswaldo; Escombe, A Rod et al. · Clin Infect Dis · 2008

prospective_cohort · Level II

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Abstract

Tests for pleural tuberculosis are insensitive and expensive. We compared nonproprietary microscopic-observation drug-susceptibility (MODS) culture with Löwenstein-Jensen culture for evaluation of pleural specimens. MODS culture was associated with greatly increased diagnostic sensitivity and shorter time to diagnosis, compared with Löwenstein-Jensen culture (sensitivity of culture of biopsy specimens, 81% vs.51%; time to diagnosis, 11 days vs. 24 days; P < .001). The MODS technique is inexpensive, allows drug-susceptibility testing, and is a considerably improved diagnostic method for pleural tuberculosis.

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