Conventional diagnostic methods and technological advances in tuberculosis in the 21st century

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease, considered one of the main diseases in the world, responsible for more than 2 million deaths and 8 million cases annually. The disease is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria usually attacks the lungs, but could attack any segment of the organism. It is transmitted through the environment contaminated with Koch's bacilli, expelled by bacilliferous patients through cough, and contaminated feces and urine of infected patients.    The objective of this article is to analyze conventional diagnostic methods and the advances of the 21st century, with a documentary bibliographic review methodology from 2019 to 2023. Most clinical laboratories make the diagnosis, by the so-called conventional methods: smear microscopy and culture, which has a sensitivity of 60-70% of TB cases, 25% of all cases are extrapulmonary Since the beginning of the 90s. New laboratory techniques have been introduced for the diagnosis of TB. Among these are the molecular methods and the Interferon Release Test, recommended by the WHO.