The Indian Journal of Tuberculosis - LRS Institute of Tuberculosis ...

SUMMARIES OF PAPERS 165
Conclusion: The pleural fluid cholinesterase and its
ratio with serum cholinesterase are one of the most
accurate criteria in characterizing pleural effusions
as exudates or transudates. The same can be used
as the first step in diagnosis of pleural effusion. It is
also cost-effective in resource poor settings.
Pyrazinamide susceptibility testing of M.
tuberculosis by BacT/ALERT 3D system, L.J
Proportion Method and Pyrazinamidase assay
Pushpendra Singh, Abhay Kumar Mishra, Clement
Wesley, Kalpana, Sunil Malonia, G.P.S. Jadaun,
Jaya Faujdar, P. Upadhyay, P. Gupta, R. Das,
O.S. Chauhan. Y.D. Sharma, U.D. Gupta,
K Venkatesa and V.M. Katoch
Background: Pyrazinamide (PZA) has been used in
the therapy of tuberculosis for long time. A
nicotinamide analogue pro-drug with sterilizing
activity against semi-dormant tubercle bacilli, PZA
requires bacterial Pyrazinamidase (PZase) enzyme
activity for being converted into bactericidal moiety
pyrazinoic acid (POA). MIC of PZA is pH dependant
which makes PZA susceptibility testing difficult. Over
the years, several liquid medium based rapid systems
including radiometric BACTEC 460, fluorimetric
MGIT 960 and colorimetric BacT/Alert system have
been tested and found to be promising for PZA
susceptibility testing. There has been no comparative
evaluation of PZA susceptibility testing by BacT/
ALERT 3D system, L-J Proportion Method and
Pyrazinamidase assay.
Objectives of the study: Present study has been
carried out to compare the results of PZA
susceptibility testing by BacT/Alert system, L-J
Proportion Method and Pyrazinamidase assay.
Methodology of investigation: A total of 107 isolates
of M. tuberculosis were tested by L-J Proportion
(Gold Standard), BacT/Alert and PZase assay as per
the standard method described for these tests.
Main findings: A good concordance (90.65%) was
observed among the results of these methods.
Sensitivity of BacT/Alert system in present study
(34/36=94.5%) was significantly better (P value
lesser than 0.05) than that of the PZase assay (29/
36=80.56%) whereas no significant difference in their
specificities was observed (P value more than 0.05).
BacT/Alert system is a rapid and accurate method
for PZA susceptibility testing with high sensitivity
and specificity.
MDR –TB : Treatment Outcome
S. Raiasekaran, P.R. Khaiser Ahamed, A.
Mahilmaran, O.R. Krishnarajasekhar, S. Kumar,
Dravidaselvanayagi and Mala
Background: Government Hospital of Thoracic
Medicine (GHTM), Tambaram, is the largest centre
in India managing MDR- Tuberculosis. On any given
day, there would be at least 140 in-patients receiving
retreatment for MDR- TB.
Objective: To share the experience of GHTM in
managing MDR-TB and to present the details of
treatment outcome.
Methodology: Patients, who were confirmed to have
MDR-TB admitted during 2002 to 2005, were
considered for the analysis. The evaluation would
cover pattern of drug resistance, drug regimens and
treatment outcome.
Results and Conclusions: 400 patients were taken
up for the analysis. The results were being compiled
(at the time of abstract) and would be projected in
greater detail.
Prediction vs optimal diagnostic tool for MDR
TB in developing countries
C. Venkatesh, R. Atharunnisa Begum and B.
Rajagopalan
Objective: To assess the value of prediction of drug
resistance among CAT II failure cases
Methodology: All the Cat II failure cases attending
the Institute of Thoracic Medicine, Chennai, were
interrogated for detailed previous anti-tuberculous
treatment history and subjected to thorough clinicalexamination.
Based upon the prior treatment history,
Indian Journal of Tuberculosis