Objective: To evaluate the value of the TRC Ready MTB test in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with two negative acid-fast bacilli (AFB) sputum smears.
Participants and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 243 patients diagnosed with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (two negative AFB sputum samples) at the National Lung Hospital.
Results: For sputum specimens, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the TRC Ready test were 76.3%, 90.4%, 90%, and 77%, respectively. For bronchial fluid specimens, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 79.5%, 93.3%, 92.5%, and 81.4%, respectively. The positive rate of the TRC Ready test was significantly higher in patients presenting with hemoptysis, infiltrative lesions on chest X-ray, and consolidation or cavitation on computed tomography (CT) scans.
Conclusion: The TRC Ready MTB test is a novel molecular biological assay demonstrating high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. The test is particularly valuable in cases presenting with hemoptysis, consolidation, and cavitation on CT scans.