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March 21, 2026Open Access

Evolution of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Diagnostics: From Classic Methods to High-Resolution Molecular Platforms:A Literature Review

Puntos clave

The review aims to evaluate the evolution of diagnostic strategies for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, focusing on their effectiveness and advancements.
Reviewed traditional methods such as acid-fast bacilli microscopy and culture techniques.
Analyzed advanced molecular tests including PCR-based technologies and loop-mediated isothermal amplification.
Discussed immunological diagnostics like interferon-gamma release assays for latent TB detection.
Highlighted high-resolution techniques such as whole genome sequencing for drug resistance profiling.
Traditional methods remain foundational but are time-consuming for diagnosing TB.
Advanced techniques significantly reduce detection time and improve accuracy in identifying drug resistance.
Emerging technologies are becoming critical despite challenges related to cost and infrastructure.

Resumen

Despite the availability of effective therapies, tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most challenging infectious diseases around the world. Accurate and early laboratory analysis was fundamental for sickness, treatment initiation and prevention of transmission to other peoples. The evaluation highlights detect of diagnostic strategies for Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (MTB) that integrate traditional, molecular, immunologic and superior techniques. Conventional methods, including acid-fast bacilli (AFB) by microscope and growth on Lowenstein–Jensen or Middle brook media, remain the cornerstone for confirmation and drug susceptibility testing, even though they may be time-consuming. The advanced and automated liquid culture systems like BACTEC MGIT 960 have markedly decreased detection time while keeping excessive sensitivity and specificity. By enabling rapid detection of MTB and rifampicin or multidrug resistance within hours, the molecular tests such as Expert MTB/RIF, Expert Ultra, True Nat MTB, line probe assays and polymerase chain reaction - based technologies offer more accurate methods and have transformed TB diagnosis. Histopathology and cytology remain important for extra pulmonary TB cases, although immunological diagnostics such as interferon-gamma release assays (IGRA) and T-spot methods that associated with the identification of latent TB infection. Although their routine use was still hindered by infrastructure and expense, emerging technologies such as whole genome sequencing (WGS), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and nano pore sequencing provide high-resolution data for strain typing of MTB and drug resistance profiling.Keywords: TB, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, PCR, AFB, IGRAs, DSTCitation: Talib AL, Rashid RY. Evolution of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis diagnostics: From classic methods to high-resolution molecular platforms: A literature review. Iraqi JMS. 2025; 23(2): 384-392. doi: 10.22578/IJMS.23.2.21

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