The ability of the Global Focus, a $240 battery-operated fluorescent microsocope, to detect TB was compared to that of a Nikon E400 fluorescence microscope that cost over $40,000. The study was conducted according to the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (IUATLD) guidelines, using TB bacilli from sputum smears obtained from clinical specimens collected in a remote area of Iran. Concordant results were obtained in 56 of 64 specimens (87.5 percent concordance). When samples were evaluated as positive or negative, results with both microscopes agreed except for one specimen, resulting in a 98.4 percent concordance rate. The Global Focus is a compact, lightweight, low-cost, inverted bright field and fluorescence microscope, with up to 1000x magnification. According to the authors, the microscope may be a useful diagnostic tool to expand TB testing at the point of care in low-resource settings. This article was published online at PLoS ONE 5(8): e11890. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.
TMC.net, www.tmcnet.com, August 6, 2010, by J.M. Graham
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