@article{3098744,
    title = "Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in respiratory and
nonrespiratory specimens by the Amplicor((R)) MTB PCR",
    author = "Michos, AG and Daikos, GL and Tzanetou, K and Theodoridou, M and and Moschovi, M and Nicolaidou, P and Petrikkos, G and Syriopoulos, T and and Kanavaki, S and Syriopoulou, VP",
    journal = "Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease",
    year = "2006",
    volume = "54",
    number = "2",
    pages = "121-126",
    publisher = "EXCERPTA MEDICA INC-ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC",
    issn = "0732-8893",
    doi = "10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2005.09.002",
    keywords = "Mycobacterium tuberculosis PCR assay; Amplicor((R)); tuberculosis",
    abstract = "To evaluate the diagnostic performance of a commercially available
Mycobacterium tuberculosis PCR assay (Amplicor((R)) MTB-ROCHE), 2296
respiratory and nonrespiratory specimens from 2296 patients with
Suspected tuberculosis (TB) were collected prospectively in an 8-year
period. Clinical data for each patient were abstracted, and all samples
were examined blindly by direct microscopy, culture, and PCR. M.
tuberculosis DNA was detected in 93 of 113 culture-positive samples and
in 29 of 3 8 samples from patients with probable TB. The lowest
sensitivity was observed in pleural fluid and abscess aspirates. The
sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of the assay
were 97.2%, 100%, and 100% for smear-positive specimens and 75.3%,
97.0%, and 47.5% for smear-negative specimens, respectively. The PCR
cost per additional correct clinical decision was Euro2826 but would
have declined to Euro308 if the test was applied only to smear-positive
specimens. The overall performance of Amplicor MTB test was excellent
for smear-positive, but suboptimal for smear-negative specimens. (c)
2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved."
}