Tubercolosi: Nuove opportunità per controllare una vecchia malattia?

After the mention of traditional laboratory pathways historically (and still presently) followed for the diagnosis of tuberculosis, the most recent changes to such traditional methods are taken into consideration. The contribution of the microscopic examination with its pros and cons, the bacterial cultures and the advantages deriving from the last generation mediums, the (growing in importance) diagnosis of bacterial resistances and, last not least, the most recent technologies in the field of molecular diagnosis, from polymerase chain reaction to the use of nucleic acid probes, from the molecular typisation of the mycobacterium to the genotypic methods to test antitubercular drug resistances. Particular attention has been put on novel immunologic tests, perhaps yet to be perfectioned but already important and to be considered in the present panel of diagnostic tools, mainly for their relevance in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis: in this sense both such tests, QuantiFERON-TB GOLD as well as T SPOT-TB (based on the interferon gamma identification) are discussed and compared with the classic Mantoux intradermoreaction.