Comparison of Culture, Real-Time DNA Amplification Assay and Ehrlich-Ziehl-Neelsen for Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract

Objective: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is still a substantial health problem universally. Although culture is the gold standard method, reliable, rapid and new methods are required for effective struggle with disease. We retrospectively compared the results of Ehrlich-Ziehl-Neelsen (EZN) stain and real-time DNA amplification assay (BD ProbeTec ET system) with culture.