Polymerase chain reaction-based detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded skin tissue specimens from Filipino patients.

摘要

The diagnosis of cutaneous tuberculosis primarily relies on the demonstration of acid-fast bacilli in histopatho-logic sections (low sensitivity and specificity) and the isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by culture (a protracted process requiring up to eight weeks). In vitro DNA amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become an invaluable tool in the rapid detection of the slow growing mycobacterium, facilitating prompt and accurate diagnosis.