Abstract

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is a pathogenic bacteria species in the genus Mycobacterium and the causative agent of most cases of tuberculosis. Work was conducted using a faster and advanced method of Nucleic Acid Amplification Technology to characterize Mycobacterium tuberculosis using IS6110 gene. 50 Clinical samples were collected, DNA was isolated using silica column method, amplification of DNA in Nested PCR machine, post amplification using Agarose Gel Electrophoresis and result interpretation in E-gel Imager trans-illuminator. Of 50 clinical samples processed, 10(20%) were positive and 40(80%) were negative for IS6110 gene. In age-wise distribution, 21-60(years) had 32(64%) clinical samples with highest positivity rate of 9(28.1%) compared to other age group distributions and 23(78.9%) were negative. In gender wise distribution, 34(68%) were males with 9(26.5%) positive and 25(73.5%) negative. The female clinical samples were 16(32%), of which 1(6.3%) was positive and 15(93.7%) were negative. These results were in accordance to other researches carried out with IS6110 gene as target. Amplification technologies offer the potential for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in a few hours with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. To prevent the spread of the disease, early diagnosis using molecular assay especially with IS6110 or mpb64 as target gene is more efficient due to the long incubation period of tuberculosis which does not favor culturing process and prompt treatment of cases being the best option.

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