Diagnostic Value of Molecular Detection of Treponema pallidum DNA for Diagnosis of Early Infectious Syphilis and Neurosyphilis in an Irish Tertiary-Care Hospital

the detection of NTM was low ( < 90%) but high ( 90%) for the detection of MTBC.In patients with a positive auramine O smear microscopy result, alternative diagnostic methods like molecular assays that can reliably detect and distinguish between MTBC and NTM in clinical samples should be considered while awaiting mycobacterial culture results.A negative auramine O smear microscopy result may be used to rule out the presence of MTBC but not NTM. Conclusion:The diagnostic utility of auramine O smear microscopy for detecting NTM and MTBC in clinical samples is limited by its poor sensitivity and PPV.These findings highlight the need for more accurate and reliable diagnostic techniques for detecting NTM and MTBC directly from clinical samples.