The rational use of nucleic acid amplification testing for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex

Abstract

On the basis of clinical significance, Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the most important member of the genus Mycobacterium. It is closely related genetically to Mycobacterium bovis, M. africanum, Mycobacterium microti, Mycobacterium bovis BCG (the bacillus of Calmette-Guerin) and the recently described Mycobacterium tuberculosis subspecies Canetti. Together they are termed the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC).