Commercial serological tests for the diagnosis of active pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Serological (antibody detection) tests for tuberculosis (TB) are widely used in developing countries. As part of a World Health Organization policy process, we performed an updated systematic review to assess the diagnostic accuracy of commercial serological tests for pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB with a focus on the relevance of these tests in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods And Findings: We used methods recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration and GRADE approach for rating quality of evidence.

13C-urea breath test for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The (13) C-urea breath test ((13) C-UBT) is a safe, noninvasive and reliable method for diagnosing H. pylori infection in adults. However, the test has shown variable accuracy in the pediatric population, especially in young children.

Utility of stool sample-based tests for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in children.

Objective: Helicobacter pylori antigen or DNA in stool are meant to detect the bacteria; however, in children the colonization of the gastric mucosa by H pylori is usually weak and fecal excretion of antigen or DNA varies considerably, challenging the utility of these tests in this age group. The aim of the present study was to carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the performance of stool H pylori DNA and antigen tests for the diagnosis of infection in children.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the accuracy of stool tests for diagnosis of H pylori infection in children.

Antibody-based detection tests for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in children: a meta-analysis.

Background: Numerous serologic tests are available for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection in children. Common designs of antibody-based detection tests are ELISA and Western Blot (WB).

Commercial nucleic-acid amplification tests for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in respiratory specimens: meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Background: Hundreds of studies have evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of nucleic-acid amplification tests (NAATs) for tuberculosis (TB). Commercial tests have been shown to give more consistent results than in-house assays. Previous meta-analyses have found high specificity but low and highly variable estimates of sensitivity.

Comparison of an interferon-gamma release assay with tuberculin skin testing in HIV-infected individuals.

Rationale: Although interferon (IFN)-gamma release assays are approved for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), limited data exist regarding their performance in HIV infection.

Objectives: To compare tuberculin skin test (TST) results to the commercial IFN-gamma release assay QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) for the diagnosis of LTBI in HIV-infected adults.

Methods: A total of 294 HIV-infected subjects sampled from two San Francisco cohorts underwent TST, using 5 TU of purified protein derivative, and QFT, measuring IFN-gamma response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific RD-1 antigens.

In-house nucleic acid amplification tests for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum specimens: meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Background: More than 200 studies related to nucleic acid amplification (NAA) tests to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis directly from clinical specimens have appeared in the world literature since this technology was first introduced. NAA tests come as either commercial kits or as tests designed by the reporting investigators themselves (in-house tests). In-house tests vary widely in their accuracy, and factors that contribute to heterogeneity in test accuracy are not well characterized.

Nucleic acid amplification tests in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Conventional tests for tuberculous pleuritis have several limitations. A variety of new, rapid tests such as nucleic acid amplification tests--including polymerase chain reaction--have been evaluated in recent times. We conducted a systematic review to determine the accuracy of nucleic acid amplification (NAA) tests in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis.

Diagnostic accuracy of nucleic acid amplification tests for tuberculous meningitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Conventional tests are not always helpful in making a diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to establish the summary accuracy of nucleic acid amplification (NAA) tests for tuberculous meningitis. We searched six electronic databases and contacted authors, experts, and manufacturers.