Abstract: Background: Diagnosis of paediatric pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a challenge. Symptoms of tuberculosis
are nonspecific in children. Young (specially under 5) children are unable to expectorate sputum samples; the
procedures for obtaining respiratory samples are invasive. So, stool samples were used as an alternative to
respiratory samples for the diagnosis of pediatric PTB using stool Xpert MTB/ RIF Ultra assay. The World
Health Organization also recommends the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay for diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis
(PTB) in children. A very few studies were conducted to determine the diagnostic performance of Xpert Ultra on
stool specimen. Thus, we assessed the diagnostic performance of Xpert Ultra on stool to diagnose PTB in under
5 children........
Keywords: Paediatric pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), Tuberculosis, Xpert Ultra, Stool specimen
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