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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : September 2, 2014 9:31 AM IST
A new blood test has been developed to provide a fast and accurate tool to diagnose tuberculosis in children. About one million children develop tuberculosis (TB) globally each year but detecting it has been a challenge as the symptoms are often similar to those of common illnesses including pneumonia and malnutrition.
The newly developed test (TAM-TB assay) is the first reliable immuno-diagnostic assay to detect active tuberculosis in children, researchers said. 'This rapid and reliable test has the great potential to significantly improve the diagnosis of active tuberculosis in children,' said Klaus Reither from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) in Switzerland who coordinated the study. The new TAM-TB assay is a sputum-independent blood test.
Using standard intracellular cytokine staining procedures and polychromatic flow cytometry, the test result is available within 24 hours after blood sampling. The new test was assessed in tuberculosis endemic regions in Tanzania at the Ifakara Health Institute and the NIMR Mbeya Medical Research Center.
The study appeared in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases.
What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is a common infectious disease caused by bacteria called mycobacterium tuberculosis which affects the lungs. Main symptoms of TB are severe cough that lasts for three weeks or longer, bloody or discoloured sputum, night sweats, fever, fatigue and weakness, pain in the chest, loss of appetite, and pain during breathing or coughing. India had the highest total number of TB cases worldwide in 2010 partly due to poor disease management by the private healthcare sector. TB can be prevented by vaccination and maintaining high levels of hygiene. One infected, the patient should follow the medication regimen properly. By not doing so, there are chances of developing resistance to anti-TB drugs resulting in an aggressive form of TB called MDR-TB (multi-drug resistant TB).
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