Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine in Tubercular Lymph Nodes

Tubercular lymphadenitis (TBLN) accounts for 20-40% of extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases. Common presenting symptoms of tuberculosis, like fever, cough, weight loss, fatigue, and night sweats, are not always associated with TBLN. This book evaluates methods of molecular diagnostic intervention for such lymph nodes. It uses real-time PCR for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex targeting multi-copy insertion sequence IS6110 in diagnosing tubercular lymph node cases, correlating with cytological or histological diagnoses of tuberculosis. The book covers a broad scope of laboratory research, in addition to sensitive and specific diagnostic tools for evaluating TBLN, enabling early detection. It also focuses on TBLN in pediatric patients (younger than 15 years of age). In short, the book presents an efficient blend of molecular diagnostic tools to be employed in public health services.