New manual qPCR assay validated on tongue swabs collected and processed in Uganda shows sensitivity that rivals sputum-based molecular TB diagnostics.

Amy SteadmanAlfred AndamaAlexey BallJob MukwatamunduKhushboo KhimaniTessa MochizukiLucy AsegeAlice BukirwaJohn Baptist KatoDavid KatumbaEsther KisakyeWilson MangeniSandra MwebeMartha NakayeIrene NasunaJustine NyawereDeryk VisenteCatherine CookTalemwa Nalugwa Christine M Bachman Fred C Semitala Bernhard H Weigl John T Connelly William Worodria Adithya Cattamanchi

Published in: medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences (2023)

Tongue swabs show promise as an alternative to sputum for TB diagnosis, with sensitivity approaching sputum-based molecular tests. Our results provide valuable insights for developing successful tongue swab-based TB diagnostics.

Keyphrases

mycobacterium tuberculosis
pulmonary tuberculosis
cystic fibrosis
high throughput
single molecule
artificial intelligence