An assessment of nucleic acid amplification testing for active mycobacterial infection

Approach taken to the evidence assessment

A systematic review (SR) of published medical literature was undertaken. Searches to identify relevant studies and reviews for the period between 1990 and June 2014 were conducted for the Cochrane Library, Current Contents, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Cinahl, Econlit and Scopus databases, as well as Australian and international health technology assessment (HTA) websites.

For TB infections, studies that investigated the use of NAAT (with or without AFB microscopy) compared with ‘no NAAT’ (AFB microscopy and culture for diagnostic accuracy studies) in patients suspected of having TB and who have had < 3 days of anti-TB treatment and reported appropriate outcomes, as outlined in Box to Box and Table , were included for further review.

For NTM infections, studies that investigated the use of NAAT (with or without AFB microscopy) compared with ‘no NAAT’ (AFB microscopy and culture or clinical diagnosis) in patients suspected of having an NTM infection were included (see Box ).