Advances in Molecular Diagnosis of Tuberculosis
An estimated 10 million people fall ill with tuberculosis (TB) worldwide yearly, of those 1.1 million are children. TB is present across all countries and age groups. Notably, the field of diagnostics has serious advances in the form of a new molecular test. The World Health Organization has already recommended the use of molecular nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for TB detection. In contrast to smear microscopy, a new test is more accurate and fast. An interesting area for intervention is the integration of TB and COVID-19 testing, as both diseases share the same symptoms (cough, fever, and difficulty breathing). This dual testing would be helpful both for patients and physicians. A review by MacLean et al present recent advances and developments in testing this disease as well as anti-TB drug resistance.
