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String test: A new tool for tuberculosis diagnosis and drug-resistance detection in children

Belén Rocío Imperiale1, Cecilia Nieves2, Belén Mancino2

  • 1Institute of Experimental Medicine-CONICET-National Academy of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

International Journal of Mycobacteriology
|June 15, 2018
PubMed

Insights

A novel "string test" offers a safe, noninvasive method for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in children and adults. This accessible tool aids in the rapid detection of drug-resistant TB, improving diagnostic accuracy.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Diagnostics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis in children requires improved accuracy.
  • Current sputum-based diagnostic methods are invasive, unpleasant, and require hospitalization.
  • There is a need for noninvasive tools for TB diagnosis, especially for multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of a novel
  • string test
  • for diagnosing TB in children.
  • To assess the utility of the
  • string test
  • in adults unable to produce sputum, particularly those at risk for MDR-TB.

Main Methods:

  • The
  • string test
  • involves swallowing a string to collect gastrointestinal secretions.
  • Specimens were analyzed for TB diagnosis and drug-resistance detection using GenoType MTBDRplus.
  • Statistical analysis was performed using MedCalc software.

Main Results:

  • The
  • string test
  • was applicable to 62.1% of selected children.
  • TB was diagnosed in 30.6% of children and 6 out of 19 adults.
  • The test identified two MDR-TB cases and two isoniazid-resistant cases in adults prior to isolate confirmation.

Conclusions:

  • The
  • string test
  • is safe, inexpensive, and easily implemented without hospitalization.
  • This method represents a significant advancement for diagnosing TB and detecting drug resistance in children.
  • The string test shows promise for improving TB diagnostics in challenging populations.
Abstract

Keywords:
Childrendiagnosisdrug-resistancestring-testtuberculosis

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