Misdiagnosis of tuberculosis associated with some species of nontuberculous mycobacteria by GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay

Yu Pang; Jie Lu; Biyi Su; Huiwen Zheng; Yanlin Zhao

doi:10.1007/s15010-017-1044-x

Misdiagnosis of tuberculosis associated with some species of nontuberculous mycobacteria by GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay

Infection. 2017 Oct;45(5):677-681. doi: 10.1007/s15010-017-1044-x. Epub 2017 Jul 13.

Authors

Yu Pang¹, Jie Lu², Biyi Su³, Huiwen Zheng⁴, Yanlin Zhao⁵

Affiliations

¹ National Tuberculosis Clinical Laboratory, Beijing Key Laboratory for Drug Resistance Tuberculosis Research, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 97 Machang, Tongzhou District, Beijing, 101149, People's Republic of China. pangyu@chinatb.org.
² Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guangzhou Chest Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
⁴ National Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 155, Chang Bai Road, Changping District, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China.
⁵ National Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 155, Chang Bai Road, Changping District, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China. zhaoyanlin@chinatb.org.

PMID: 28707184
DOI: 10.1007/s15010-017-1044-x

Abstract

Out of 12 nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species, 5 were identified as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) by GeneXpert at a bacterial load of 10⁶. Notably, two species, including M. abscessus and M. smegmatis, were flagged as RIF-resistant MTB due to the high C(t) value of Probe E. In conclusion, our data have demonstrated that the misdiagnosis of MTB by GeneXpert assay is observed in five NTM species at a high bacterial load.

Keywords: GeneXpert; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Nontuberculous mycobacteria.

MeSH terms

Automation, Laboratory / methods*
China
Diagnostic Errors
Humans
Microbial Sensitivity Tests / methods
Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification*
Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / isolation & purification*
Predictive Value of Tests
Tuberculosis / diagnosis*

Abstract

MeSH terms

Grants and funding