[Tongue swabs: a novel tool for tuberculosis screening]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Tuberculosis (TB) poses a significant global health challenge, hindering the 2035 elimination target.
• Current passive, symptom-based case detection methods are insufficient.
• Active screening in communities is vital but faces challenges with sputum collection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore alternative, non-invasive specimen types for TB detection in active case-finding strategies.
• To evaluate the potential of tongue swabs as a promising alternative to sputum.
• To assess the integration of advanced technologies like AI-based imaging for community TB screening.

Main Methods:

• Review of emerging non-invasive specimen types for TB detection.
• Focus on tongue swabs as a novel diagnostic approach.
• Consideration of artificial intelligence (AI) in radiological imaging for case detection.

Main Results:

• Tongue swabs are identified as the most promising non-invasive specimen for TB detection.
• Active screening strategies are essential to bridge the gap in TB case detection.
• AI-based radiological imaging shows potential for enhancing community-based TB case-finding.

Conclusions:

• Tongue swabs offer a viable, non-invasive alternative for TB detection in community settings.
• Integrating AI with novel specimen types can significantly advance active TB case-finding efforts.
• These advancements are critical for interrupting TB transmission and achieving global elimination targets.