Abstract

CHORENO-PARRA, José Alberto  and  MARTINEZ-ZUNIGA, Nayeli. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification of DNA for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in the Mexican context. Med. interna Méx. [online]. 2018, vol.34, n.3, pp.418-422. ISSN 0186-4866.  https://doi.org/10.24245/mim.v34i3.1654.

Tuberculosis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide associated with a single pathogen. Even when it is a curable disease, the control of its dissemination is complicated due of the difficulty in making the diagnosis and delay in starting treatment. Recently, new technologies to detect infected individuals resulting in a broader repertoire of diagnostic methods have been developed. However, such technologies are expensive and not widely available in most of the developing countries. In this context, loop-mediated isothermal amplification of DNA offers advantages over other tools for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in areas with scarce resources due of its lower cost and methodological feasibility. The current evidence of its efficacy and accuracy place this method as a suitable option applicable in countries like Mexico, where most of the patients attend to regional hospitals and peripheral units with poor infrastructure.

Keywords : Tuberculosis; Polymerase chain reaction; DNA.