Tuberculosis serodiagnosis in a predominantly HIV-infected population of hospitalized patients with cough, Botswana, 2002.

A sensitive and accurate tuberculosis (TB) serodiagnostic test would aid in the control of TB, but results of current tests are relatively unreliable for persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We evaluated a new prototype immunochromatographic strip test and 5 commercially available serodiagnostic TB tests in a prospective study comprised of 465 consecutively enrolled patients with suspected TB from 2 hospitals in Botswana. Consenting adults underwent HIV testing, >/=2 sputum smears and cultures, and mycobacterial blood culture. Patients were defined as having TB on the basis of any positive smear or culture. Between January and September 2002, 465 of 498 consecutive patients consented to enrollment. A total of 384 patients (83%) were infected with HIV, and 175 (38%) had TB; the mycobacterial blood culture was the sole source of diagnosis for 26 patients (15%) with TB. Among the tests evaluated, the sensitivity was 0%-63%, the specificity was 39%-99%, the positive predictive value was 0%-39%, and the negative predictive value was 63%-65%. We conclude that the serodiagnostic tests evaluated in this study lacked sufficient sensitivity as sole tests for TB in this population.