Genexpert MTB

This test is used to detect the presence of bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the blood sample of an individual.

What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis TB is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis MTB. Generally, TB affects the lungs and sometimes it can also affect other organs and parts of the body. MTB is airborne and can spread through the air from one person to another. Individuals who are suffering from TB may experience symptoms such as cough which lasts more than 2-3 weeks, cough with blood, chest pain, difficulty in breathing, weight loss, fever, night sweats, etc.

The occurrence of tubercular infection apart from lungs may occur in up to 30% of individuals. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis may occur in internal organs like kidneys, genital organs, skin, joints, bones, membranes of the heart, abdominal wall, etc. The tubercular infection in genital organs affects fertility in women. The bacteria may affect organs like fallopian tubes, endometrium, cervix, vagina, etc.

What is NAAT?

Nucleic acid amplification tests or NAAT (in short) are types of diagnostic tests which are useful in detecting specific pathogenic (disease-causing) substances in the given sample from an individual. These tests are extremely sensitive and are capable of detecting even the slightest concentrations of the pathogenic components. These tests are useful in detecting parasitic, bacterial and viral infections, the severity of the infection, find out if the pathogen has developed any resistance towards the disease.

Since these tests are capable of detecting even the slightest of the infection, the individual would have a therapeutic advantage because of early detection and would receive effective treatment.

Few of the tests which use NAAT are Polymerase chain reaction(PCR), Quantitative Nucleic Acid-Based Amplification(QT-NASBA), Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification(LAMP), etc.

Why this test is recommended?

This test is performed to check the antigens specific to tuberculosis bacteria in a tissue sample of an individual. The doctor may ask you to undergo this test if you are suffering from symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, joint pains, long-lasting cough, chest pain, difficulty in breathing, weight loss, fever, abdominal distension, etc.

If you are on treatment for tuberculosis, then the doctor may ask you to perform this test to evaluate and to check the effectiveness of the treatment and to check whether the bacterium has infected other internal organs or has developed resistance to TB Medicines.

Precautions:

Some medications may change the test results and hence you are advised to inform all your current medications to the doctor prior to the test.

The test results may be different depending on gender, age, health conditions, and other factors.

If the test results are negative it may indicate that there is no Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA and not suffering from tuberculosis.

In case the test results are positive it may indicate that there is Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA and suffering from tuberculosis.