This is one of the latest techniques in the field of TB diagnostics. The need for fast and accurate results is ever increasing for TB diagnosis and it is also important to determine drug resistance; GeneXpert MTB/RIF comes as an ideal solution for high sensitivity and specificity. This technology helps in detecting simultaneously M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and rifampin resistance .
The GeneXpert MTB/RIF test is a cartridge based nucleic acid amplification assay (CB-NAAT) which uses real time-PCR for detection of an MTB-specific region of rpoB gene. It detects mutations associated with rifampicin resistance.