ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical values of phage amplified biologically assay (PhaB) for diagnosis of tuberculosis by comparatively analyzing the diagnostic performances of PhaB, acid fast stain and culture. MethodsThe samples of random sputum and morning sputum from 157 tuberculosis patients diagnosed between January and December 2014 were detected by mycobacteria culture, PhaB, acid fast stain and culture method. The differences of diagnostic performances were analyzed by chi-square test. ResultsThe diagnostic sensitivity was 89.8% (mycobacteria culture), 68.2% (PhaB) and 52.2% (acid fast stain); according to the gold standard of culture method, the positive coincident rate was 74.5% and 57.4%, respectively in PhaB and acid fast stain (P<0.05), and the general coincident rate was 75.8% and 60.5% (P<0.05); of those patients with two negative sputum smears, the positive rate was 33.3% (25/75) in PhaB; the detection time was 1 hour (acid fast stain), 46 hours (PhaB) and 9.5 days (mycobacteria culture), respectively. ConclusionBecause of its high sensitivity, high specificity and short turn around time, simple operation, distinguishing dead isolates and live isolates and drug resistance detection, PhaB is a new method for screening test of tuberculosis or as an effective complementary testing for traditional assays.