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GeneXpert for Diagnosis of Tubercular Meningitis

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Abstract

Diagnosis of tubercular meningitis (TBM) is difficult in children. The GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay has been recommended by WHO in 2013 to be used in children and in extra pulmonary clinical specimens. The present study was designed to assess the diagnostic utility of GeneXpert in detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in TBM cases and to compare the results with liquid culture BACTEC 460. Thirty four subjects <15 y were diagnosed as TBM based on clinical, CSF and imaging details. Sensitivity of GeneXpert in CSF was 38.24 % as compared to Bactec culture which was only 14.71 % (p 0.0279). To conclude, GeneXpert MTB/RIF test is able to rapidly confirm diagnosis of TBM with higher sensitivity as compared to conventional methods and liquid culture.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Shamrendra Narayan, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiodiagnosis, S. N. Medical College, Agra who helped in the reporting of the radiological investigations done for the study subjects.

Contributions

RB, RD planned the study. SJ collected and analysed the data. DA and AG contributed to draft of the manuscript. RB will act as guarantor for the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, S. N. Medical College, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Rakesh Bhatia, Rajeshwar Dayal, Shishir Jindal & Dipti Agarwal

  2. Department of Microbiology, S. N. Medical College, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Ankur Goyal

  3. Flat no.310, Shivam Elegant Appt., Sikandra Bodla Rd., Agra, 282007, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Dipti Agarwal

Authors
  1. Rakesh Bhatia
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  2. Rajeshwar Dayal
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  3. Shishir Jindal
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  4. Dipti Agarwal
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  5. Ankur Goyal
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Correspondence to Dipti Agarwal.

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Bhatia, R., Dayal, R., Jindal, S. et al. GeneXpert for Diagnosis of Tubercular Meningitis. Indian J Pediatr 83, 1353–1355 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-016-2096-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-016-2096-0

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