Guidance

Tuberculosis (TB): molecular diagnosis

Guidance for healthcare professionals about using molecular tests to investigate suspected cases of tuberculosis (TB).

• From: Public Health England
• Published: 23 July 2014
• Last updated: 6 February 2025
  Show all updates

  1. 6 February 2025

     This guidance has been withdrawn.

  2. 7 January 2016

     Updated guidance attached.

  3. 23 July 2014

     First published.

This publication was withdrawn on 6 February 2025

This guidance is out of date and has been superseded by ‘Mycobacterium tuberculosis whole genome sequencing and cluster investigation’.

Documents

[Withdrawn] Molecular diagnosis of tuberculosis: Information for healthcare professionals

Ref: PHE publications gateway number: 2015427

PDF, 1.91 MB, 15 pages

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Details

This guidance provides information on molecular tests and their role in the diagnosis of active TB.

Laboratories can diagnose TB in a number of ways. Laboratory tests can either support or confirm clinical symptoms of TB. The current standard is a positive mycobacterial culture from a body fluid or tissue.