Rapid diagnosis of pleural effusion due to tuberculosis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

ABSTRACT

Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect DNA sequence belonging to IS 6110, specific agent for M.tuberculosis, directly in pleural fluids of 48 patients suspected to be due to tuberculosis and 13 patients suspected to be due to lung cancer selected by clinical, biochemical and cytological data. Excepted 2 samples showed to have inhibition factors to the activity of tag polymerase, 33 of 48 samples were found PCR positive, giving a sensitivity of 72%. All 13 pleural fluids taken from patients with pleural effusion due to cancer were PCR negative. The results: PCR of pleural fluid can be a useful method for rapid diagnosis of pleural effusion due to tuberculosis, which is difficult to differentiate with those due to cancer.