Multicountry assessment of tongue swabs for tuberculosis using a common protocol for Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra testing: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study - PubMed
2 days ago
- #non-invasive sampling
- #tuberculosis diagnostics
- #multicountry study
- This study evaluated tongue swabs as a non-invasive alternative for tuberculosis diagnosis using Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra.
- Tongue swab Ultra testing showed a sensitivity of 65.6% and specificity of 98.5% against sputum culture, with sensitivity higher in individuals without HIV.
- When using sputum Ultra as the reference, sensitivity was 75.4%, and tongue swab Ultra outperformed sputum smear microscopy.
- The research involved 1,844 participants across eight countries, with variable invalid/error rates at some sites.
- Tongue swab-based molecular testing could expand TB diagnostic access, especially for those unable to produce sputum.