Rapid Diagnostic Test for Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar): Introduction, Principle, Procedure, Result-Interpretation, Clinical Significance and Keynnotes

An InBiOS Detect rapid diagnostic test for Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) that appears to show two visible lines, which is consistent with a positive antibody result

Introduction The Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) for Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), often known as the rK39 test or Kalazar Detect™, is a specific, non-invasive immunochromatographic assay used to detect antibodies against Leishmania parasites in human serum or blood. Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) is a severe, potentially fatal …

Read more

Immunohistochemistry (IHC): Introduction, Application, and Keynotes

Introduction to IHC Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a powerful laboratory technique that combines anatomical, immunological, and biochemical methods to detect specific antigens (proteins) in tissue sections. By exploiting the principle of antibodies binding specifically to antigens in biological tissues, IHC allows for the visualization of protein …

Read more

First-Line Drug Susceptibility Testing (SL-DST) for Tuberculosis: Introduction, Principle, Procedure, Result-Interpretation, and Keynotes

 Introduction First-Line Drug Susceptibility Testing (FL-DST or sometimes referred to in context as SL-DST when covering all first-line agents: Rifampicin, Isoniazid, Ethambutol, Pyrazinamide) is a crucial laboratory procedure used to determine if a patient’s Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strain is sensitive or resistant to primary anti-TB …

Read more

Xpert MTB/RIF: Introduction, Principle, Procedure, Result-Interpretation, Uses, and Keynotes

GeneXpert® Xpert® MTBRIF Test Result- MTB Detected (Very Low) and Rifampicin Resistance Not Detected

Introduction The Xpert MTB/RIF assay is an automated, cartridge-based molecular test used to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and rifampicin (RIF) resistance, the most potent first-line anti-TB drug. Endorsed by the WHO in 2010, the Xpert MTB/RIF assay revolutionized TB diagnosis by providing results in less than two …

Read more

Bacterial Load (Decoding the CFU): Introduction, Ranges, Application, and Keynotes

Bacterial Count in a Colony Forming Unit (CFU)

Introduction of Bacterial Load (Decoding the CFU) Bacterial load, measured in Colony-Forming Units (CFU), is a fundamental concept in microbiology used to estimate the number of viable (living) microorganisms in a sample. Unlike total cell counts that include dead bacteria, the CFU method only counts …

Read more

Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra: Introduction, Principle, Procedure, Result-Interpretation, Uses, and Keynotes

GeneXpert Dx System software interface displaying a completed diagnostic result for an Xpert MTB-RIF Ultra assay

Introduction Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra is an automated diagnostic test designed for the rapid and simultaneous detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and resistance to rifampin (RIF). It is a second-generation assay developed by Cepheid to provide significantly higher sensitivity than the original Xpert MTB/RIF, particularly for …

Read more

Xpert MTB-XDR: Introduction, Principle, Procedure, Result-Interpretation, Uses, and Keynotes

The image shows a GeneXpert software interface displaying an Xpert MTB/XDR test result with M. tuberculosis (MTB) detected and a specific drug resistance profile.Key Findings:MTB DETECTED: Positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex.Low FLQ Resistance DETECTED: Indicates low-level resistance to fluoroquinolones (e.g., levofloxacin or moxifloxacin).Resistance NOT DETECTED: No mutations were found for isoniazid (INH), amikacin (AMK), kanamycin (KAN), capreomycin (CAP), or ethionamide (ETH).This result is consistent with a pre-XDR-TB diagnosis, as there is resistance to fluoroquinolones but susceptibility to second-line injectables.

Introduction The Xpert MTB/XDR assay is an advanced molecular diagnostic tool designed by Cepheid to rapidly detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and its resistance to multiple first- and second-line drugs. Launched in 2021, it is categorized as a “low complexity” automated nucleic acid amplification test …

Read more

TrueNat for Tuberculosis: Introduction, Principle, Procedure, Result-Interpretation, application, and Keynotes

Introduction TrueNat is a rapid, chip-based, and portable molecular diagnostic test. It is developed by Molbio Diagnostics for the detection of tuberculosis (TB) and rifampicin (RIF) resistance. It is the first molecular point-of-care test for TB recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).  Principle The TrueNat system …

Read more