TY - JOUR
T1 - Multicentre evaluation of Ziehl-Neelsen and light-emitting diode fluorescence microscopy in China
AU - Xia, H.
AU - Song, Y. Y.
AU - Zhao, B.
AU - Kam, K. M.
AU - O'Brien, R. J.
AU - Zhang, Z. Y.
AU - Sohn, H.
AU - Wang, W.
AU - Zhao, Y. L.
PY - 2013/1/1
Y1 - 2013/1/1
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of using light-emitting diode fluorescence microscopy (LED-FM) in peripheral laboratories in China. DESIGN: The performance of LED-FM and Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) microscopy was compared on slides directly prepared from the sputum of tuberculosis (TB) suspects and follow-up patients on treatment. The examination time, fading of fluorescence-stained slides, average unit cost and qualitative user appraisal of LED-FM were also analysed. RESULTS: Among 11 276 slides, the smear-positive rate for LED-FM was 11.2% (1263/11 276), 2.6% (294/11 276) higher than that of ZN (8.6%, 969/11 276; χ2 263.5, P < 0.05). The examination time for LED-FM (120.0 ± 38.9 seconds) was shorter than that for ZN (206.3 ± 75.9 s; t = 28.12, P < 0.05). For smear fading, quantitative and qualitative errors occurred within respectively 7.8 and 7.7 weeks. The average unit costs for ZN and LED-FM were respectively US$2.20 ± 0.58 and US$1.97 ± 0.71 (t = 5.08, P < 0.05). LED-FM was accepted by most laboratory technicians. CONCLUSION: LED-FM compared favourably with ZN, with a higher smear-positive detection rate, a shorter examination time and lower unit examination cost. LED-FM may be an alternative to ZN as a cost-effective method for detecting bacilli in peripheral laboratories in China.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of using light-emitting diode fluorescence microscopy (LED-FM) in peripheral laboratories in China. DESIGN: The performance of LED-FM and Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) microscopy was compared on slides directly prepared from the sputum of tuberculosis (TB) suspects and follow-up patients on treatment. The examination time, fading of fluorescence-stained slides, average unit cost and qualitative user appraisal of LED-FM were also analysed. RESULTS: Among 11 276 slides, the smear-positive rate for LED-FM was 11.2% (1263/11 276), 2.6% (294/11 276) higher than that of ZN (8.6%, 969/11 276; χ2 263.5, P < 0.05). The examination time for LED-FM (120.0 ± 38.9 seconds) was shorter than that for ZN (206.3 ± 75.9 s; t = 28.12, P < 0.05). For smear fading, quantitative and qualitative errors occurred within respectively 7.8 and 7.7 weeks. The average unit costs for ZN and LED-FM were respectively US$2.20 ± 0.58 and US$1.97 ± 0.71 (t = 5.08, P < 0.05). LED-FM was accepted by most laboratory technicians. CONCLUSION: LED-FM compared favourably with ZN, with a higher smear-positive detection rate, a shorter examination time and lower unit examination cost. LED-FM may be an alternative to ZN as a cost-effective method for detecting bacilli in peripheral laboratories in China.
KW - Light-emitting diode fluorescence microscopy
KW - Pulmonary tuberculosis
KW - Smear microscopy
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U2 - 10.5588/ijtld.12.0184
DO - 10.5588/ijtld.12.0184
M3 - Article
C2 - 23232010
AN - SCOPUS:84871236730
SN - 1027-3719
VL - 17
SP - 107-112+i
JO - International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
JF - International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
IS - 1
ER -