VIASURE M. tuberculosis complex + non-tuberculous mycobacteria Real Time PCR Detection Kit is designed for specific detection of DNA of the genus mycobacterium, the M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and the specie M. tuberculosis in mycobacterial culture, clinical isolates of mycobacteria and sputum (with positive or negative acidfast bacilli (AFB) smear) from patients with signs and symptoms of Tuberculosis infection.

Tuberculosis is a contagious, chronic and granulomatous disease caused mainly by the specie M. tuberculosis. This disease was declared in 1993 as a “global health emergency” due to its magnitude as a public health problem.

Tuberculosis usually affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body such as the brain, kidneys or spine. Only people who suffer from pulmonary tuberculosis transmit the  nfection. Primary infection leads to active disease in approximately 10% of infected people and in 80% of cases in the period of two years. In the remaining 90%, the immune system controls the infection and the individual is not infectious or asymptomatic.

It is estimated that one third of the world population has latent tuberculosis; that is, these people are infected with the bacillus, but (still) have not become ill or can transmit the infection. In this clinical state, TB bacilli can remain inactive for years (latent TB). However,  when the immune system weakens, the latent infection can be reactivated. In a person infected with HIV, the risk of reactivation of latent TB is more than 10% per year, compared to a lifetime risk of 10-20% for HIV negative people.