Xpert® MTB/RIF can accurately and quickly detect both TB and drug-resistant strains, according to a new study. The authors of a new systematic review assessing the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert test published in The Cochrane Librarysay their study can provide timely advice for clinicians and policymakers in countries where TB is a major public health problem.
The researchers, from the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group, McGill University and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), analysed data from 18 studies involving nearly 8,000 people, with most studies being carried out in low- and middle-income countries.