[Evaluation of the pyrazinamidase test for the detection of susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to pyrazinamide].

The pyrazinamidase test was used to determine susceptibility to pyrazinamide in 55 strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis received at the National Laboratory of Reference and Research of Tuberculosis and Mycobacteria of the "Pedro Kourí" Institute of Tropical Medicine during the first semester of 1997. On comparing the results obtained with the method of proportions, it was attained a correlation of 83.6% of sensitivity with 16.4% of false positives. It was proved that the pyrazinamidase test should not replace the method of proportions.