Cost-effectiveness in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: choices in developing countries

Tuberculosis remains one of the major causes of global death from a single infectious agent. This situation is worsened by the HIV/AIDS pandemic because one-third of HIV/AIDS patients are co-infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Failure to control the spread of tuberculosis is largely due to our...

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Main Authors: Paola Molicotti, Alessandra Bua, Stefania Zanetti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2014-01-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/3295
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author Paola Molicotti
Alessandra Bua
Stefania Zanetti
author_facet Paola Molicotti
Alessandra Bua
Stefania Zanetti
author_sort Paola Molicotti
collection DOAJ
description Tuberculosis remains one of the major causes of global death from a single infectious agent. This situation is worsened by the HIV/AIDS pandemic because one-third of HIV/AIDS patients are co-infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Failure to control the spread of tuberculosis is largely due to our inability to detect and treat all infectious cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in a timely manner, allowing continued M. tuberculosis transmission within communities. Diagnosis of tuberculosis can be made using indirect and direct methods. The indirect tests, such as interferon-gamma release assays, provide a new diagnostic method for M. tuberculosis infection, but do not discriminate between infection and active disease. The most common direct method for diagnosing TB worldwide is sputum smear microscopy (developed more than 100 years ago), where bacteria are observed in sputum samples examined under a microscope. In countries with more developed laboratory capacities, cases of tuberculosis may also be diagnosed using culture methods (the current gold standard) or, increasingly, using rapid molecular tests. In this review, we discuss the traditional methods for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. We also discuss other inexpensive assays that can be used to detect the presence of M. tuberculosis.
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spelling doaj-art-7a81f34c224944bcb4907247f65667a62025-08-20T02:16:06ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802014-01-0180110.3855/jidc.3295Cost-effectiveness in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: choices in developing countriesPaola Molicotti0Alessandra Bua1Stefania Zanetti2University of Sassari; Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Sassari, ItalyUniversity of Sassari; Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Sassari, ItalyUniversity of Sassari; Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Sassari, ItalyTuberculosis remains one of the major causes of global death from a single infectious agent. This situation is worsened by the HIV/AIDS pandemic because one-third of HIV/AIDS patients are co-infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Failure to control the spread of tuberculosis is largely due to our inability to detect and treat all infectious cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in a timely manner, allowing continued M. tuberculosis transmission within communities. Diagnosis of tuberculosis can be made using indirect and direct methods. The indirect tests, such as interferon-gamma release assays, provide a new diagnostic method for M. tuberculosis infection, but do not discriminate between infection and active disease. The most common direct method for diagnosing TB worldwide is sputum smear microscopy (developed more than 100 years ago), where bacteria are observed in sputum samples examined under a microscope. In countries with more developed laboratory capacities, cases of tuberculosis may also be diagnosed using culture methods (the current gold standard) or, increasingly, using rapid molecular tests. In this review, we discuss the traditional methods for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. We also discuss other inexpensive assays that can be used to detect the presence of M. tuberculosis. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/3295TuberculosisdiagnosisM. tuberculosis
spellingShingle Paola Molicotti
Alessandra Bua
Stefania Zanetti
Cost-effectiveness in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: choices in developing countries
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Tuberculosis
diagnosis
M. tuberculosis
title Cost-effectiveness in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: choices in developing countries
title_full Cost-effectiveness in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: choices in developing countries
title_fullStr Cost-effectiveness in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: choices in developing countries
title_full_unstemmed Cost-effectiveness in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: choices in developing countries
title_short Cost-effectiveness in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: choices in developing countries
title_sort cost effectiveness in the diagnosis of tuberculosis choices in developing countries
topic Tuberculosis
diagnosis
M. tuberculosis
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/3295
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