[Use of polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in children with diseases of the bronchopulmonary system].

A comprehensive study was conducted to determine the activity of tuberculous infection in 115 patients who formed 3 groups: 1) patients with primary forms of tuberculosis; 2) those who were infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT); and 3) those who were infected with bronchopulmonary diseases. The detection of MBT DNA in the blood by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a highly sensitive four-primed diagnostic kit established that 80 patients with tuberculosis had positive results and their decrease as the patient had a course of tuberculostatic therapy. The fact that a third of patients from Groups 2 and 3 had highly positive results of PCR required that a preventive course of double therapy be used for 3 to 6 months.