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  • Given the urgency for rapid diagnosis, Xpert MTB/RIF should be used in preference to microscopy and culture as the initial test for cerebrospinal fluid specimens from patients suspected of having TB meningitis.

  • Xpert MTB/RIF may be used as a replacement test for usual practice (including conventional microscopy, culture or histopathology) for testing specific nonrespiratory specimens (lymph nodes and other tissues) from patients suspected of having extrapulmonary TB.  

  • Pleural fluid is not a suitable specimen for the microbiological diagnosis of pleural TB and a pleural biopsy is preferred.
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