Xpert MTB/RIF and Xpert Ultra assays for pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance in adults irrespective of signs or symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis

Objectives This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (diagnostic). The objectives are as follows: To determine the accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF and Xpert Ultra for screening for tuberculosis in adults irrespective of signs or symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis in the general population (i.e. low‐risk population). To determine the accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF and Xpert Ultra for screening of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults in the following high‐risk groups. People living with HIV. Household contacts of people with tuberculosis. Patients residing in high‐tuberculosis‐burden settings attending primary health facilities. Homeless people. Miners. People with diabetes mellitus. People who abuse alcohol. Smokers. People residing in prisons. Healthcare workers. To determine the accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF and Xpert Ultra for the detection of rifampicin resistance in the general population and in the high‐risk groups and settings described above. Secondary objectives To compare the accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF and Xpert Ultra in the above high‐risk groups and settings. To investigate potential sources of heterogeneity in accuracy estimates, including the percentage of participants with tuberculosis symptoms, tuberculosis burden, tuberculosis/HIV burden, and MDR‐TB burden.