Gene expert used for getting a diagnosis of TB in -

Ans. is 'a' i.e., 1-2 hrs. o Results are obtained from unprocessed sputum samples in 90 minutes, with minimal biohazard and very little technical training required to operate. GeneXpert MTB/RIF o The Xpert MTB/RIF detects DNA sequences specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance by polymerase chain reaction. o It is based on the Cepheid GeneXpert system, a platform for rapid and simple-to-use nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT). o The Xpert MTB/RIF purifies and concentrates Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli from sputum samples, isolates genomic material from the captured bacteria by sonication and subsequently amplifies the genomic DNA by PCR. o The process identifies all the clinically relevant rifampicin resistance-inducing mutations in the RNA polymerase beta (rpoB) gene in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome in a real-time format using fluorescent probes called molecular beacons. o Results are obtained from unprocessed sputum samples in 90 minutes, with minimal biohazard and very little technical training required to operate.