Retrospective study for TB cases in Kafr El-Shiekh Chest Hospital during the period between January 2010 and January 2019 and role of GeneXpert in diagnosis

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial disease that is a major public health problem worldwide. In 2014, there were an estimated 9.6 million new TB cases. More than 90% of new TB cases and deaths occur in developing countries. Egypt has massively engaged in early case detection, provision of adequate chemotherapy, and prevention of transmission to new cases. Screening, diagnosis, notification, and registration of TB cases were implemented all over Egypt according to the National TB Strategy of the National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTP). The GeneXpert MTB/RIF test principle is to expand nucleic acid and expose MTB region of the rpoB gene. It also reveals mutations leading to rifampin resistance. It is an automated system that processes sputum, expresses DNA, and amplifies it to diagnose TB. GeneXpert test seems predestined for use with other speciemens rather than sputum such as cerebrospinal fluid or from other sites such as pleural fluid or ascetic fluid, but data are still scarce, so need further studies for evaluation. In the current study we aimed to find out tuberculosis pattern in Kafr EL-Shiekh Governorate during the period between January 2010 and January 2019 and role of GeneXpert in diagnosis of TB.