Table 3.

Test accuracy for various routine diagnostic tests, Xpert Ultra and the MPT64 test using a composite reference standard

	Test performed on number of samples	Sensitivity % (95% CI)	Specificity % (95% CI)	Overall accuracy %
All samples (n = 274)
Microscopy	166	22 (9–42)	95 (90–98)	83
Culture	252	62 (41–80)	100 (98–100)	96
PCR (1-step PCR and n-PCR pooled)	87	44 (26–65)	100 (94–100)	83
Xpert Ultra	48	57 (18–90)	98 (87–100)	92
MPT64 test	274	32 (17–51)	84 (79–88)	78
Lymph node biopsies (n = 24)
Microscopy	19	17 (0–64)	92 (64–100)	68
Culture	20	33 (4–78)	100 (77–100)	80
PCR (1-step PCR and n-PCR pooled)	15	29 (4–71)	100 (63–100)	67
Xpert Ultra	2	N/A	100 (16–100)	–
MPT64 test	24	43 (10–82)	100 (80–100)	83
All biopsies (n = 88)
Microscopy	63	20 (4–48)	94 (83–99)	76
Culture	68	50 (23–77)	100 (93–100)	90
PCR (1-step PCR and n-PCR pooled)	57	37 (16–62)	100 (91–100)	79
Xpert Ultra	10	N/A	90 (56–100)	–
MPT64 test	88	37 (16–62)	99 (92–100)	85
Lymph node aspirates (n = 11)
Microscopy	9	43 (10–82)	50 (1–99)	44
Culture	9	71 (29–96)	100 (16–100)	78
PCR (1-step PCR and n-PCR pooled)	9	67 (22–96)	100 (29–100)	78
Xpert Ultra	5	75 (19–99)	100 (3–100)	80
MPT64 test	11	29 (4–71)	50 (7–93)	36
Pus samples (n = 15)
Microscopy	15	0 (0–84)	77 (46–95)	67
Culture	15	50 (1–99)	100 (75–100)	93
PCR (1-step PCR and n-PCR pooled)	6	100 (3–100)	100 (48–100)	100
Xpert Ultra	10	50 (1–99)	100 (63–100)	90
MPT64 test	15	50 (1–99)	69 (39–91)	67
Fluid samples (n = 160)
Microscopy	79	0 (0–71)	100 (95–100)	96
Culture	160	100 (29–100)	100 (98–100)	100
PCR (1-step PCR and n-PCR pooled)	15	0 (0–98)	100 (77–100)	93
Xpert Ultra	23	0 (0–98)	100 (85–100)	96
MPT64 test	160	0 (0–71)	80 (72–86)	78

Abbreviations: PCR, polymerase chain reaction; CI, confidence interval