Table 3

Cost comparison (US$) of indirect BACTEC and four rapid methods

Indirect BACTEC

Direct BACTEC

Direct Etest

Direct Phage

Direct LiPA

Reagents and Consumables:

Sputum Processing

1.01

1.01

1.01

1.01

1.01

Fluorescent Microscopy

1.33

1.33

1.33

1.33

1.33

Test-specific

24.44

16.64

6.99

5.63

30.60

Overhead*

3.23

3.23

3.23

3.23

3.55

Total

30.01

22.21

12.56

11.20

36.49

Labor:

Sputum Processing

0.56

0.56

0.56

0.56

0.56

Fluorescent Microscopy

1.04

1.04

1.04

1.04

1.04

Test-specific

8.23

2.99

2.62

4.78

1.83

Overhead

1.82

1.82

1.82

1.82

2.00

Total

11.65

6.41

6.04

8.20

5.43

Total Cost per Specimen

41.66

28.62

18.60

19.40

41.92

* Overhead included preventive maintenance of equipment and general operating supplies, such as gloves, gowns, masks and disinfectants.

Ogwang et al. BMC Infectious Diseases 2009 9:139   doi:10.1186/1471-2334-9-139