Gelification test for Tuberculosis

Sample

1. This test is done in the serum.
2. EDTA blood can be used.

Indications for Gelification test for Tuberculosis

1. For the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis as a screening test.
2. This is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive screening test.

Pathophysiology of Tuberculosis

1. Tuberculosis is a chronic and debilitating disease.
2. This is seen in two forms:
   1. Primary tuberculosis. This will give the primary complex.
   2. Secondary or post-primary tuberculosis. Involve the lung with the most common site of apices of the lung.

Spread of pulmonary tuberculosis

Signs and Symptoms of tuberculosis:

Signs and symptoms are summarized below.

Procedure for Gelification test for tuberculosis:

1. EDTA-blood and 2.5% glutaraldehyde solution were mixed,
2. A shorter gelification time was observed in blood from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.
3. This test is advised in clinically suspected cases of tuberculosis where X-Ray chest and clinical history favor the diagnosis of Pulmonary tuberculosis.
4. This test is helpful in Sputum AFB negative cases.

Result of the Gelification test:

1. Shorter time in pulmonary tuberculosis than the non-tuberculous patients.
2. The glutaraldehyde test gives a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 95%.
3. In one of the studies was found:
   1. For pulmonary TB, sensitivity was 96.6%, and specificity was 82.1%.
   2. For extrapulmonary TB, sensitivity was 91.2%, and specificity was 77.4%.

Advantages of Gelification test:

1. In case there is no facility for 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.
2. There is no need for any sophisticated instrument.

Questions and answers: