Original Research

Optimizing Tuberculosis Diagnosis: The Role of GeneXpert in Smear-Negative Cases

Haris Saeed1
CMH Lahore Medical College and Institute of Dentistry, Lahore
Muhammad Kashif Munir2
Health Research Institute (HRI)- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Sana Rehman2
Health Research Institute (HRI)- National Institutes of Health (NIH)

✉ Correspondence: Haris Saeed Email: harissaeed15@gmail.com

DOI https://doi.org/10.70302/jpsim.v6i2.2524
Volume: 6, Issue 2 Pages: 123–127 Published: 05 Jun 2025
Received: 15 Oct 2024 Revised: 05 Jan 2025 Accepted: 15 May 2025 Published Online: 05 Jun 2025

Abstract

Objective

To observe the efficiency of GeneXpert in confirmation of smear negative pulmonary TB cases.

Methods

This descriptive study was conducted at HRI-NIH TB Research Centre King Edward Medical University/ Mayo Hospital Lahore during 23rd December 2020 to 26th May 2021. Those smear negative patients who already started their anti-tubercular treatment and coming for follow-up were not included in this study. After taking informed consent patients suspected of having pulmonary tuberculosis on clinical and radiological grounds but negative sputum smear microscopy were asked to provide a spot sputum specimen in a sterile container and GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay was performed.

Results

A total of 116 smear negative patients consisted of 64 (55.2%) females and 52 (44.8%) males with male to female ratio of 1:1.23. Mean age of patients was 39.7±15.46 with minimum age of patients as 18 years and maximum of 72 years. Presenting complaints were also recorded; low grade fever and weight loss were present in 100% patients while fatigue was also present in 90.5% patients and anorexia in 83.6% cases. A total of 21 (18.0%) smear negative patients came back as positive for MTB on GeneXpert; of these 13/21 (61.9%) were reported as showing very low quantity and remaining 8/21 (38.1%) showed low quantity while none of the patients showed Rifampicin resistance on GeneXpert.

Conclusion

Diagnostic delay of smear negative pulmonary TB could be improved by using GeneXpert as 18% smear negative TB cases were confirmed by using this technique in this study which ultimately can prevent considerable morbidity and mortality.

Keywords
Tuberculosis GeneXpert Early diagnosis AFB smear.

How to Cite This Article

Saeed H, Munir MK, Rehman S. Optimizing Tuberculosis Diagnosis: The Role of GeneXpert in Smear-Negative Cases. J Pak Soc Intern Med. 2025;6(2):123–127. doi:10.70302/jpsim.v6i2.2524

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Conflict of Interest

All authors declare no competing interests.

Disclosed in accordance with ICMJE and COPE guidelines.

Funding

No specific funding was received for this research.

Funder information follows the Crossref Funder Registry standard.

References

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CC BY CC BY 4.0 This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. May be shared and adapted with attribution. © 2025 Journal of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine.
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