The bactec MGIT™ 320 system as a laboratory tool to diagnose tuberculosis in a Brazilian hospital with a high prevalence of HIV infection

Abstract

Introduction: The World Health Organization endorses the BACTEC Mycobacterial Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT)™ system as a rapid, sensitive, and specific method to diagnostic of tuberculosis. Here, we compared the performance of this system against Ogawa-Kudoh cultures and microscopy. Methods: A total of 927 samples were obtained between December 2011 and December 2013 from 652 cases of suspected tuberculosis at the School Hospital of the Federal University of Rio Grande in Brazil. Results: The MGIT system confirmed tuberculosis in more cases in less time. Conclusions: The MGIT system is an effective tool for early diagnosis of tuberculosis, especially in patients with HIV/AIDS.