Evaluation of real time polymerase chain reaction targeting mpb64 gene for diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

Background: Paucibacillary nature of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) has paved way for molecular methods increasingly being used for diagnosis. We undertook a study for evaluation of sensitivity and specificity of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) targeting mpb64 gene for diagnosis of EPTB.

Methods: A total of 152 clinical samples from suspected cases of EPTB were included in this study.

Evaluation of performance of direct disk diffusion test from positively flagged blood culture broth: A large scale study from South India.

Background: Rapid turnaround time of blood culture reports should be the main motive for a clinical microbiologist for optimal patient care. Categorical agreement (CA) between direct disk diffusion (dDD) and reference disk diffusion (rDD) may vary between laboratories.

Aims And Objectives: This study was designed to determine the CA and understand various types of errors associated with antibiotic organism combination, so that caution can be derived while interpreting and reporting dDD results in the earliest meaningful time frame.