Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in transbronchial biopsy specimens by polymerase chain reaction

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was used to test 30 clinical specimens (transbronchial biopsy specimens) from patients in whom tuberculosis was suspected on chest X-ray. In these patients, 15 cases were histologically diagnosed as tuberculosis. Among them, M. tuberculosis was detected in 8 specimens by PCR. Of 8 PCR positive specimens, 7 were also positive by smear and culture; the other was negative by smear and positive by culture. On the other hand, 15 cases were therapeutically diagnosed as the tuberculosis and these specimens showed negative results in neither PCR nor microbiological tests. We conclude that the PCR method is useful for rapid and direct detection of M. tuberculosis in transbronchial biopsy specimens.