Mycobacterium Tuberculosis:- Part 5 – Gelification test for Tuberculosis (Glutaraldehyde gelification test)
Sample
- This test is done in the serum.
- EDTA blood can be used.
Indication
- For the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis as a screening test.
- This is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive screening test.
Pathophysiology of Tuberculosis
- Tuberculosis is a chronic and debilitating disease.
- This is seen in two forms:
- Primary tuberculosis. This will give the primary complex.
- Secondary or post-primary tuberculosis. Involve the lung with the most common site of apices of the lung.
Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms are summarized below.
Procedure
- EDTA-blood and 2.5% glutaraldehyde solution were mixed,
- A shorter gelification time was observed in blood from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.
- This test advised in clinically suspected cases of tuberculosis where X-Ray chest and clinical history favor the diagnosis of Pulmonary tuberculosis.
- This test is helpful in Sputum AFB negative cases.
Result
- Shorter time in pulmonary tuberculosis than the non-tuberculous patients.
- The glutaraldehyde test gives a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 95%.
- In one of the study was found:
- For pulmonary TB sensitivity was 96.6% and specificity 82.1%.
- For extrapulmonary TB sensitivity was 91.2% and specificity 77.4%.
Advantage
- In case if there is no facility for the TB culture and state of the art radiology. Then this method along with Sputum for AFB and simple X-Ray is cost-effective and reliable.
- There is no need for any sophisticated instrument.