Rapid Diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection and Drug Resistance Based on Real-Time Fluorescence PCR.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health concern that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. The emergence and spread of drug-resistant TB pose a serious threat to global public health. Traditional diagnostic methods for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), such as smear microscopy and culture, have significant limitations and often result in delayed clinical treatment. To address this challenge, an efficient diagnostic scheme based on real-time fluorescent PCR was developed. High-quality MTB nucleic acids can be extracted from test samples, and resistance status can be identified at key resistance sites. Compared to traditional methods, this approach significantly reduces detection time to just a few hours, enabling the determination of infection and resistance status shortly after a patient's initial visit. Detection sensitivity exceeds 85%, and specificity reaches 95%. This non-invasive technology not only minimizes patient discomfort but also supports accurate diagnosis in grassroots medical institutions due to its low cost and high efficiency. Overall, the approach represents a significant improvement in TB diagnostics.