FASTPlaqueTB^TM

48 hour diagnosis of Tuberculosis

Using Phage amplification technology, a new diagnostic test for multi-drug resistant TB that provides results in just two days, a significant improvement over conventional methods which take weeks to yield results. http://www.biotec.com/fastptb.html

Introduction:

This new test works by using mycobacteriophage (virus that infect TB) to reflect the presence of viable TB bacilli within a sample. Rifampicin resistance indicates a high chance of multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB, which is often fatal if incorrectly diagnosed and treated.

Principle of assay:

• Portions of decontaminated sputum incubated with and without rifampicin.
• Bacteriophage (Actiphage) infects viable TB bacilli in sputum.
• A potent virucide (Virusol) destroys all bacteriophage that have not infected TB bacilli.
• Bacteriophage replicating in TB bacilli survive and are detected as plaques (zones of clearing) after plating with non-pathogenic mycobacterial Sensor cells.
• Presence of viable TB bacilli following rifampicin treatment signifies rifampicin resistance.