Serological screening for tuberculosis in the community: an evaluation of the Mycodot procedure in an African population with high HIV-2 prevalence (Republic of Guinea-Bissau).

The immuno-dot-blot assay MycoDot, which detects lipoarabinomannan (LAM) antibodies, was evaluated for the serological diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis in patients in a rural community in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. Sera from 269 adults (age > 15) and 33 children (age < 5) were assayed for antibodies in a blind manner and the results compared to the clinical status of tuberculosis. The assay had a specificity and a sensitivity of 92.