Mycobacterial Diseases
Open Access

Abstract

Diagnosis of osteoarticular tuberculosis by immuno-PCR based on mycobacterial antigen 85 complex detection: Its comparison with real-time immuno-PCR and GeneXpert assay

Promod K Mehta1*, Anish Khan1, Suman Sharma2, Paramjeet S Gill2, Aparna Yadav2 and Raj Singh2

Osteoarticular tuberculosis (OATB), i.e. bone and joint TB comprises ~15-18% of extrapulmonary TB cases, and causes significant morbidity. OATB normally begins as osteomyelitis in the growth plates of bones and is transmitted into the joint spaces. Spinal TB is the most common site that accounts for ~50% of OATB cases; hip, knee, and sacroiliac joints are involved less frequently. Timely and reliable diagnosis of OATB is essential to control the disease. Conversely, diagnosis of OATB is difficult owing to paucibacillary nature of specimens, variable anatomical locations and atypical clinical presentations that mimic inflammatory arthritis (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) with atypical radiological findings.

Published Date: 2021-12-25; Received Date: 2021-12-10