Comparison between the new Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/Rifampicin (MTB/RIF) Ultra assay and Xpert MTB/RIF for diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in a tertiary care center

Aroop Mohanty; Atul R. Rukadikar; Vivek Hada; Parul Singh; Subodh Kumar Pandey; Mahima Mittal; Gaurav Gupta; Kanishka Kumar; Rama Shankar Rath; U. Venketesh; Amresh Kumar Singh; Kumari Neha Singh; Rachana Mehta; Sanjit Sah; Shriyansh Srivastava; Vasso Apostolopoulos

doi:10.1128/spectrum.01647-25

Comparison between the new Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/Rifampicin (MTB/RIF) Ultra assay and Xpert MTB/RIF for diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in a tertiary care center

Aroop Mohanty
, Atul R. Rukadikar
, Vivek Hada
, Parul Singh
, Subodh Kumar Pandey
, Mahima Mittal
, Gaurav Gupta
, Kanishka Kumar
, Rama Shankar Rath
, U. Venketesh
, Amresh Kumar Singh
, Kumari Neha Singh
, Rachana Mehta
, Sanjit Sah
, Shriyansh Srivastava
, Vasso Apostolopoulos

AIl India Institute of Medical Sciences
AIl India Imnstitute of Medical Sciences
AIl India Institue of Medical Sciences
Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University India
Dr. Lal Path Labs
Manav Rachna International University
Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune
Korea University
Galgotias University
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Tuberculosis remains a significant global health challenge, with the re-emergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) posing serious concerns, especially in its extra-pulmonary forms. Rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management. This study evaluates the performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay compared with the Xpert MTB/RIF and traditional microscopy (Ziehl-Neelsen stain) in diagnosing extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) in a tertiary care center in northern India. A total of 100 samples collected from September 2024 to February 2025 underwent testing using these methods. Our findings indicate that the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay demonstrated superior sensitivity and reliability compared with the Xpert MTB/RIF, whereas microscopy was the least effective. This study is the first of its kind in India, highlighting the enhanced diagnostic capabilities of the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay for EPTB.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-8
Number of pages	8
Journal	Microbiology Spectrum
Volume	13
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01647-25
State	Published - 2 Dec 2025
Externally published	Yes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

EPTB
India
MTB
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Xpert MTB/RIF
Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra
Ziehl-Neelsen stain
extra-pulmonary tuberculosis
rifampicin
tuberculosis

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10.1128/spectrum.01647-25

Cite this

Mohanty, A., Rukadikar, A. R., Hada, V., Singh, P., Pandey, S. K., Mittal, M., Gupta, G., Kumar, K., Rath, R. S., Venketesh, U., Singh, A. K., Singh, K. N., Mehta, R., Sah, S., Srivastava, S., & Apostolopoulos, V. (2025). Comparison between the new Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/Rifampicin (MTB/RIF) Ultra assay and Xpert MTB/RIF for diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in a tertiary care center. Microbiology Spectrum, 13(12), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01647-25

@article{814f77b1cb704e2b9282251d16562df8,

title = "Comparison between the new Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/Rifampicin (MTB/RIF) Ultra assay and Xpert MTB/RIF for diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in a tertiary care center",

abstract = "Tuberculosis remains a significant global health challenge, with the re-emergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) posing serious concerns, especially in its extra-pulmonary forms. Rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management. This study evaluates the performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay compared with the Xpert MTB/RIF and traditional microscopy (Ziehl-Neelsen stain) in diagnosing extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) in a tertiary care center in northern India. A total of 100 samples collected from September 2024 to February 2025 underwent testing using these methods. Our findings indicate that the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay demonstrated superior sensitivity and reliability compared with the Xpert MTB/RIF, whereas microscopy was the least effective. This study is the first of its kind in India, highlighting the enhanced diagnostic capabilities of the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay for EPTB.",

keywords = "EPTB, India, MTB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Xpert MTB/RIF, Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra, Ziehl-Neelsen stain, extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, rifampicin, tuberculosis",

author = "Aroop Mohanty and Rukadikar, \{Atul R.\} and Vivek Hada and Parul Singh and Pandey, \{Subodh Kumar\} and Mahima Mittal and Gaurav Gupta and Kanishka Kumar and Rath, \{Rama Shankar\} and U. Venketesh and Singh, \{Amresh Kumar\} and Singh, \{Kumari Neha\} and Rachana Mehta and Sanjit Sah and Shriyansh Srivastava and Vasso Apostolopoulos",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Mohanty et al.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1128/spectrum.01647-25",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

pages = "1--8",

journal = "Microbiology Spectrum",

issn = "2165-0497",

publisher = "American Society for Microbiology",

number = "12",

}

Mohanty, A, Rukadikar, AR, Hada, V, Singh, P, Pandey, SK, Mittal, M, Gupta, G, Kumar, K, Rath, RS, Venketesh, U, Singh, AK, Singh, KN, Mehta, R, Sah, S, Srivastava, S & Apostolopoulos, V 2025, 'Comparison between the new Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/Rifampicin (MTB/RIF) Ultra assay and Xpert MTB/RIF for diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in a tertiary care center', Microbiology Spectrum, vol. 13, no. 12, pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01647-25

Comparison between the new Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/Rifampicin (MTB/RIF) Ultra assay and Xpert MTB/RIF for diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in a tertiary care center. / Mohanty, Aroop; Rukadikar, Atul R.; Hada, Vivek et al.
In: Microbiology Spectrum, Vol. 13, No. 12, 02.12.2025, p. 1-8.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparison between the new Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/Rifampicin (MTB/RIF) Ultra assay and Xpert MTB/RIF for diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in a tertiary care center

AU - Mohanty, Aroop

AU - Rukadikar, Atul R.

AU - Hada, Vivek

AU - Singh, Parul

AU - Pandey, Subodh Kumar

AU - Mittal, Mahima

AU - Gupta, Gaurav

AU - Kumar, Kanishka

AU - Rath, Rama Shankar

AU - Venketesh, U.

AU - Singh, Amresh Kumar

AU - Singh, Kumari Neha

AU - Mehta, Rachana

AU - Sah, Sanjit

AU - Srivastava, Shriyansh

AU - Apostolopoulos, Vasso

PY - 2025/12/2

Y1 - 2025/12/2

N2 - Tuberculosis remains a significant global health challenge, with the re-emergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) posing serious concerns, especially in its extra-pulmonary forms. Rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management. This study evaluates the performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay compared with the Xpert MTB/RIF and traditional microscopy (Ziehl-Neelsen stain) in diagnosing extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) in a tertiary care center in northern India. A total of 100 samples collected from September 2024 to February 2025 underwent testing using these methods. Our findings indicate that the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay demonstrated superior sensitivity and reliability compared with the Xpert MTB/RIF, whereas microscopy was the least effective. This study is the first of its kind in India, highlighting the enhanced diagnostic capabilities of the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay for EPTB.

AB - Tuberculosis remains a significant global health challenge, with the re-emergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) posing serious concerns, especially in its extra-pulmonary forms. Rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management. This study evaluates the performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay compared with the Xpert MTB/RIF and traditional microscopy (Ziehl-Neelsen stain) in diagnosing extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) in a tertiary care center in northern India. A total of 100 samples collected from September 2024 to February 2025 underwent testing using these methods. Our findings indicate that the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay demonstrated superior sensitivity and reliability compared with the Xpert MTB/RIF, whereas microscopy was the least effective. This study is the first of its kind in India, highlighting the enhanced diagnostic capabilities of the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay for EPTB.

KW - EPTB

KW - India

KW - MTB

KW - Mycobacterium tuberculosis

KW - Xpert MTB/RIF

KW - Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra

KW - Ziehl-Neelsen stain

KW - extra-pulmonary tuberculosis

KW - rifampicin

KW - tuberculosis

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105029956692

U2 - 10.1128/spectrum.01647-25

DO - 10.1128/spectrum.01647-25

M3 - Article

C2 - 41211977

AN - SCOPUS:105029956692

SN - 2165-0497

VL - 13

SP - 1

EP - 8

JO - Microbiology Spectrum

JF - Microbiology Spectrum

IS - 12

ER -

Comparison between the new Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/Rifampicin (MTB/RIF) Ultra assay and Xpert MTB/RIF for diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in a tertiary care center

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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