An assessment of nucleic acid amplification testing for active mycobacterial infection

Comparator

Patients with the clinical signs and symptoms of active TB will receive NAAT in addition to AFB microscopy. Standard microbial testing in Australia for TB, in people with signs and symptoms of active disease, involves AFB microscopy and culture of suitable specimens. As both the intervention and comparator groups receive AFB testing, the main comparator for NAAT is culture alone.

The patient population suspected of having an NTM infection receive NAAT in addition to culture, and this may replace further testing such as additional biopsies. Therefore, the appropriate comparator in the identified population is current testing without NAAT.