373RAPID MOLECULAR DETECTION OF TUBERCULOUS PLEURISY AMONG IRAQI PATEINTS BY THE AUTOMATED GENE XPERT MTB/RIF SYSTEMPleural effusion is a common condition encountered by both chest physicians and chest surgeons in Iraq, and is one of the common complications of primary tuberculosis. The purpose of this study was to test the efficiency and reliability of the Gene Xpert system for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in pleural fluid specimens. Seventy exudative lymphocytic pleural fluid specimens of patients with suspected tuberculous pleural effusion submitted to the National Reference Laboratory of tuberculosis/Baghdad from October 2012 to February 2013 were investigated with the new molecular-based Gene Xpert MTB/RIF assay system in addition to conventional liquid and solid cultural methods. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated in 2.86% (2 specimens) using solid and liquid cultural methods, while Gene Xpert assay indicate the presence of these bacteria in 15.71% (11 specimens). As a conclusion in the present study, the Gene Xpert assay can be considered more helpful for the diagnosis of TPE since the pleural fluid specimens are paucibacillary in nature with a high sensitivity and specificity coupled with its speed and simplicity and this technique is a useful tool for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion.laragale12@gmail.comResearch4122013Pleural effusion,Tuberculous pleural effusion,Gene Xpert systemLara Gale A. Ali*,Dhuha Saad Salih,Ahmed Asmer MankhiDepartment of Biology, College of Science, Baghdad University, Baghdad, Iraq,Department of Biology, College of Science, Baghdad University, Baghdad, Iraq,National Reference Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Ministry of Health, Baghdad, Iraq