The Utility of Xpert MTB/RIF Assay in Diagnosis of Extra Pulmonary Tuberculosis in a Tertiary Care Centre

Introduction: It is estimated that India accounts for 25% of global tuberculosis (TB) burden of the world. Extra pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) constitute about 15-20% of all cases of TB. Aim: To study the use of Xpert MTB / RIF test to determine the prevalence of extra pulmonary tuberculosis. Material and Methods: The Xpert MTB/RIF assay was performed on all the non-respiratory samples as per protocol. The patient related data along with results was retrieved from record registers. Results: Among the total of 1333 samples, 135 samples were found to be MTB positive and nine as MDR EPTB. The numbers of patients were maximum in age group 15-60 years with male predominance. Among all the sample types, pleural fluid (n=628) contributed the most followed by CSF (n=300), ascetic fluid (n=206), pus (n= 106), FNAC of lymph node (n=56) and other body fluid (n=37). The percentage MTB positivity for lymph node was (20/56) highest as 35% followed by pus (35/106) 33%, other body fluid (n=4/37) 11%. Conclusion: The result of our study suggests that the Xpert MTB/RIF assay shows good potential for the diagnosis of EPTB including MDR status especially in our country where the TB is endemic.