Table 1 Study characteristics and methodological quality of included studies
Study Characteristics | Frequency |
|---|---|
Study Design | |
   Cross-sectional | 11 |
   Case-control | 2 |
Verification of phage tests with reference standard | |
   Complete | 13 |
   Partial | 0 |
Blind assessment of phage tests and reference standard results | |
   Yes | 3 |
   Unclear | 10 |
Test before treatment | |
   Yes | 6 |
   No | 5 |
   Unclear | 2 |
Year of Publication | |
   Before 2002 | 4 |
   After 2002 | 9 |
Study size | |
   < 20% positive specimens | 2 |
   > 20% positive specimens | 11 |
Reference standard | |
   BACTEC 460 | 3 |
   LJ medium | 6 |
   Bactec and LJ* | 3 |
   LJ/AMTD** | 1 |
Type of assay | |
   Commercial | 11 |
   In-house | 2 |