A Faster Test for Tuberculosis

A new laboratory test for tuberculosis (TB) allows a diagnosis within 24-48 hours, compared to the six to eight weeks required for the standard test using sputum culture. The test was introduced at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester, UK.

The new test uses phage amplification, in which rapidly multiplying bacterial viruses infect and "label” TB bacteria in sputum so they can be identified. In a large trial, the test showed 99% specificity and 73% sensitivity. The test can also be used to carry out antibiotic sensitivity testing to select the most appropriate drug to treat an individual patient.

In another study, the test was found to correctly identify antibiotic sensitivity in 97% of cases, enabling more effective treatment selection earlier, reducing the risk of resistance. The new test is safer for technicians since the harmful Mycobacterium tuberculosis is not grown, whereas with culture tests technicians are working with large numbers of live bacteria. With sputum culture, antibiotic sensitivity testing takes another six to eight weeks after the organism has been cultured. Some labs are expanding the application for the test to the detection of nonpulmonary TB by using other body fluids.

The test was developed by Prof. Stephen Denyer, from the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Science at Brighton University (UK) in collaboration with colleagues in Nottingham (UK). "Accuracy is similar to traditional sputum culture, but the results are obtained in one-twentieth of the time,” said Prof. Denyer.




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