Evaluation of OMNIgene Sputum and Ethanol Reagent for Preservation of Sputum Prior to Xpert and Culture Testing in Uganda

Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) and culture are the most reliable methods for tuberculosis diagnosis but are still poorly accessible in many low-resource countries. We aimed to assess the effects of OMNIgene Sputum (OM-S) and ethanol in preserving sputum for Xpert and OM-S for mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) testing over periods of 15 and 8?days, respectively. Sputum samples were collected from newly diagnosed smear-positive patients.