GeneXpert MTB/RIF

GeneXpert MTB/RIF, also called Xpert MTB/RIF , is a medical test developed for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB). The test is designed to detect the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and the human bodies resistance to rifampin (RIF). GeneXpert MTB/RIF takes less than two hours to complete according to the Center of Disease Control (CDC).

The Xpert MTB/RIF assay uses nucleic acid amplification (NAA) in a disposable cartridge containing the GeneXpert Instrument System. The test requires a sputum sample from the patient being tested for TB. Once the sample is obtained it is mixed with a reagent contained within the GeneXpert machine and the test is performed automatically.

The GeneXpert MTB/RIF test does not require complex training to perform by healthcare workers and is capable of detecting multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB), a form of TB showing resistance to two efftective TB drugs (isoniazid (INH) and RIF). The test also allows for fast and accurate diagnosis of TB making it possible for hospitals and other medical institutions the ability to begin effective treatments sooner, and avoid the use of unnecessary treatment and repository isolation of patients.