DIN 58943-5:2011-03

New discoveries in genetic variability of the species mycobacterium tuberculosis complex also allow for their differentiation with molecular-biological methods. They are already available in many laboratories, whereby reference is made partly to commercially available, partly to more or less well-validated in-house tests. This standard describes methods on how the most important species of tubercle bacilli can be unambiguously differentiated. The standard specifies minimum requirements for relevant molecularbiological tests. At the same time, it gives possibilities and limits of the methods. This standard has been prepared by Working Committee NA 063-05-03 AA "Tuberkulose- und Mykobakteriendiagnostik" ("Diagnosis of tuberculosis and mycobacteria") of the Medical Standards Committee at DIN, the German Institute for Standardization e. V., in cooperation with the Arbeitskreis Mykobakterien (AKM) ("Working Group on Mycobacteria"). The AKM is a panel of experts based in the German-speaking area which, among other things, coordinates studies regarding mycobacteriological diagnostics.