How Can the Tuberculosis Laboratory Aid in the Patient-Centered Diagnosis and Management of Tuberculosis?

In 2019, tuberculosis is still a global source of morbidity and mortality. To determine and provide the most effective treatment regimen to patients, the tuberculosis laboratory needs to rapidly but reliably answer 2 main questions: (1) Is Mycobacterium tuberculosis detectable in the patient specimen? and (2) If so, is the strain detected drug susceptible or does it show any form of drug resistance? In cases of drug resistance, health care providers need to have access to minimal inhibitory concentration results and to the type of mutation conferring drug resistance to tailor the most appropriate drug regimen.

Source: Clinics in Chest Medicine - November 13, 2019 Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Akos Somoskovi, Max Salfinger Source Type: research