Author(s)

Clara Lema, Kim Dionne, Leo Ayuk, Charles Awasom, Melissa Sander, Carole McArthur, Paul Achu, Nicole Parrish

Mezam Polyclinic HIV/AIDS Treatment Center, Bamenda, Cameroon.
Regional Hospital, Bamenda, Cameroon.
The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri.

The Paralens^TM (PL) microscope attachment converts a light microscope into an epi-fluorescencemicroscope. We compared the PL to standard fluorescence microscopy for detection ofMycobacteriain clinical and spiked samples. Overall agreement between the two systems was 100%. Quantitative and qualitative performance was comparable. The PL is an acceptable alternative to standard fluorescence microscopy for detection ofMycobacteria.

Paralens^TM; Tuberculosis; Microscopy; Diagnostics

Lema, C. , Dionne, K. , Ayuk, L. , Awasom, C. , Sander, M. , McArthur, C. , Achu, P. and Parrish, N. (2013) Evaluation of the ParaLens^TM LED microscope attachment versus standard fluorescence microscopy for detection of Mycobacteria. Journal of Tuberculosis Research, 1, 14-16. doi: 10.4236/jtr.2013.12004.