FluoroType MTB system for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis

Diagnosis continues to be a major barrier for the control of tuberculosis (TB), especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) [1]. The number of platforms for the molecular diagnosis of TB have increased in recent years and they can provide test results more rapidly than culture. Molecular assays are increasingly being used as alternative or adjunct methods to culture and smear microscopy, and modern systems seek to partially or fully automate the DNA extraction and amplification steps, increasing their suitability for resource-limited laboratories. One of these platforms, the GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Cepheid, USA), has a sensitivity of roughly 85% compared to culture [2] and has seen significant uptake in developing countries [3]. However, as a fully closed system, the DNA extracted during the process cannot be used for further downstream drug susceptibility testing (DST), which is crucial for patients with suspected drug-resistant TB. FluoroType MTB is a sensitive test for TB but specificity is low compared with fully integrated molecular systems <http://ow.ly/WhEO30b1luY>