A new screening strategy for tuberculosis (TB), proposed by researchers at Queen Mary University of London, could significantly enhance the detection of both active and dormant TB infections, saving lives and reducing transmission rates.
Published in the European Respiratory Journal, the study analysed 13 different TB tests across 437 studies, concluding that combining diagnostic tests for both forms of the disease yields higher accuracy than current methods.
Led by Dr. Dominik Zenner, the team emphasised the added value of immunological tests, like the Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA), in identifying harder-to-detect TB, including extrapulmonary and paediatric cases. Traditionally reserved for detecting latent TB, these tests proved effective when used alongside standard screenings, such as chest X-rays and sputum tests.
TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, with 10.8 million new cases and 1.25 million deaths in 2023. Experts, including former WHO director Mario Raviglione, praised the study for its potential to influence public health policy and reshape global screening protocols.
&uuid=(email))