TB is caused by bacteria that most often affects the lungs. Every day, over 3,300 people die from the disease, with Southeast Asia accounting for nearly 40 per cent of deaths. Yet it is both preventable and treatable, including by using the antibiotic rifampicin.
WHO has issued new guidelines on testing, recommending that countries deploy innovations such as new near-point-of-care molecular diagnostic tests and tongue swabs, both of which can help with faster detection.
Fast and accurate diagnosis
The tests cost half the price of those currently available, operate on battery power and deliver results in less than an hour, meaning that treatment can begin sooner.
Tongue swabs allow adults and young people who cannot produce sputum to receive TB testing for the first time. Specimens can therefore be easily collected, thus enabling detection among people who are at an increased risk of dying from the disease.