Approach to TB diagnosis

Clinical description

Early identification and treatment of TB cases is important for TB control. The diagnosis of TB disease may be reached either by:

• Bacteriologic confirmation using:

o Identification of the bacillus on ZN/LED-FM microscopic examination o Culture media to grow the bacilli

• Identification of bacillary genetic material using molecular techniques such as Xpert

MTB/RIF assay and LPA

• Clinical decision by TB experts by analysing the supportive evidence from:

o Radiography evidences from the affected organs through chest x-ray and Computer assisted Diagnosis (CAD)

o Histopathologic studies of sample taken from body tissue or fluid o Biochemical analysis of body fluids