Molecular bacterial load assay, a culture-free biomarker for rapid and accurate quantification of sputum Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacillary load during treatment.

A molecular assay to quantify Mycobacterium tuberculosis is described. In vitro, 98% (n = 96) of sputum samples with a known number of bacilli (10(7) to 10(2) bacilli) could be enumerated within 0.5 log(10).

Rapid diagnosis of smear-negative tuberculosis using immunology and microbiology with induced sputum in HIV-infected and uninfected individuals.

Rationale And Objectives: Blood-based studies have demonstrated the potential of immunological assays to detect tuberculosis. However lung fluid sampling may prove superior as it enables simultaneous microbiological detection of mycobacteria to be performed. Until now this has only been possible using the expensive and invasive technique of broncho-alveolar lavage.

Biomarkers of treatment response in clinical trials of novel antituberculosis agents.

Global initiatives have been launched to develop improved tuberculosis chemotherapy. New drugs and potential treatment-shortening regimens require careful assessment in clinical trials, but existing markers of treatment outcome-clinical cure and relapse-require prolonged follow-up of patients. There is, therefore, a need to find alternative biomarkers or surrogate endpoints predictive of response.