This study included 60 suspected tuberculous patients (40 pulmonary and 20 urinary tuberculous patients). The suspected pulmonary patients were 27(67.5%) males and 13 (32.5%) females, their age ranged from 17 to 59 years (mean ± SD =
37.05 ± 1l.38 years). The suspected urinary patients were 14(70%) males and 6(30%) females, their age ranged from 21 to 55 years (mean ± SD = 37.65 ± 8.83 years). Patients who were under antituberculous treatment more than 2 weeks were excluded from the study. The following were done for all suspected cases: thorough history taking, full clinical examination, complete blood picture, Erythroc)1e sedimentation rate, tuberculin test and X-ray. Sputum samples were collected from suspected pulmonary patients and urine samples from suspected urinary patients in sterile containers, processed by N-acetylL-cysteine sodium hydroxide and then subjected to Ziehl Neelsen stain (ZN), culture on Lowenstein Jensen (LJ) medium and F ASTplaque TB test. Results: Out of 40 sputum samples, ZN staining was positive in 24 (60%), F ASTplaque TB was positive in 30(75%) and L.J culture was positive in 35(87.5%). Regarding urine samples, out of 20 urine samples ZN staining was positive in 14(70%), FASTplaque TB was positive in 17(85%) and L.J culture was positive in 19 (95%). Considering LJ culture as the gold standard for diagnosis, the sensitivity, specificity, PPY and NPY of FASTplaque TB test were 85.71%, 100%, 100% and 50% respectively in sputum samples, and 89.47%, 100%, 100% and 33.33% respectively in urine sample. The test is more sensitive and more specitic in diagnosing urinary TB compared to pulmonary tuberculosis. The time needed for diagnosis by FASTplaque TB is 2 days for sputum samples and 3 days for urine samples. Compared to 34.43 days and 32.68 days for LJ culture in sputum and urine samples respectively. Conclusion: The FASTplaque TB test is a simple, rapid, sensitive, highly specific, economic test for diagnosis ofTB. |
