Association of BAL Cartridge Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test Grading on the Basis of cycle of threshold value with time to culture positivity

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a major global health issue, with India bearing a significant burden of the disease. The emergence of drug-resistant TB and the need for rapid and accurate diagnostic methods underscore the importance of this study. This research aims to investigate the association between cycle threshold (CT) values from Cartridge-Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CBNAAT) and the time to culture positivity (TTCP) in patients with pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Specifically, the study focuses on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples, which have not been extensively researched in this context