New diagnostic test changes tuberculosis landscape

摘要

Molecular technology originally developedto detect anthrax in the UnitedStates postal service is revolutionizingthe diagnosis of tuberculosis, particularlyin countries where tuberculosis isa common cause of death among peoplewith HIV infection. The Xpert MTB/RIF – a rapid, fully-automated nucleicacid amplification test – is the first majorbreakthrough in tuberculosis diagnosticssince sputum smear microscopywas developed more than 100 years ago.