Practical and Laboratory Diagnosis of Tuberculosis: From Sputum Smear to Molecular Biology

The present work focuses on the diagnosis of TB, covering all its possible ways. Content ranges from clinical diagnosis, which is the first instance in approaching tuberculosis, until the gold standard microbiological and molecular diagnostic tools, which are useful due to its speed and high sensitivity. Additionally, diagnosis of latent TB infection, which is key feature to controlling TB under a public health perspective, is also addressed. This book is intended to be a quick and useful reference for the diagnosis of TB, being of special use for clinicians, pulmonologists and microbiologists, but also to every professional, professors and students involved in research and practice on TB diagnosis. In addition, it is intended to be of interest to professionals all over the world, but especially in countries with high TB endemicity, where the proper diagnosis of TB is a topic of major importance.