Huda AH. Qader

Department of Biology, College of Science, Wasit University, Iraq

Abstract

This study presents a descriptive analysis of the distribution of tuberculosis in Wasit Governorate in 2024,
based on data collected over a full year, divided into quarterly sections. The study tracked epidemiological
changes in the disease throughout the year, laboratory diagnostic methods, reliance on traditional methods
such as microscopic examination and bacterial culture, as well as modern molecular diagnostic methods
such as GeneXpert.
Routine microscopic examination demonstrated very low sensitivity, with a positive result rate of less than
2%, and no statistically significant quarterly differences were observed. In contrast, bacterial culture
showed high detection efficiency, with a positive rate of 30.3%, and exhibited statistically significant
differences between quarters (P ≤ 0.01), peaking in quarters 3 and 4. Molecular diagnosis identified
11.29% of cases as positive, with the highest rate in quarter 3 (30%), revealing a statistically significant
variability (P = 0.0078).
The study identified one case of rifampicin resistance that emerged in the third quarter, while 92.86%
were sensitive, this discrepancy was confirmed by a p-value of (0.0495) as statistically significant.
In conclusion, the study showed that microscopic examination results have limited accuracy and
demonstrated the superiority of bacterial culture diagnosis. However, it requires more time, and this delay
is not in the patient’s best interest. Furthermore, molecular diagnosis using GeneXpert offers greater
accuracy and a faster diagnostic time, making its use essential .

Download Full Text