WHO's Report about the use of TB rapid tests
October 10th, 2008
In Tuberculosis, a quick and accurate diagnosis can save a life, allowing a quick intervention and a better control over the disease...
One of the most efficient methods of diagnosis of the TB suspects represents the use of quick tests. Similar to other diseases with a major impact on the health status, the quick TB tests are available for sale and usage on a large scale, especially in the countries in progress of development.
Their use can significantly reduce the associated costs of the tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment, but it still exist quite little scientific documented information on the performances and limitations of the quick TB tests.
This is why the World Health Organization (WHO) and Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases - TRD-sponsored by U N I C E F / U N D P / W o r l d B a n k / W H O published a few days ago a Report on the quick TB tests.
The laboratory researches financed by WHO and TRD had as a study object the quick tests often used for the serologic TB diagnosis. At the end it was reached the conclusion that in the future it will still be used as a diagnosis method the microbiologic exam of the phlegm, x-rays and the clinic symptoms eloquent for this disease and less the quick TB tests.
Despite the remarkable efforts made in the latest years, which allowed a significant improvement of the TB control and improved the access of the population to quality medical services, less than 20% of the TB patients receive a microbiologic TB diagnosis.
The elaborated researches had in the account the evaluation of the performances, the reproducible and operational characteristics of the 19 types of the quick TB tests, already on the market.
The conclusions of these evaluations materialized in a Report, gathering together the specialists in the medical field and the scientific and pharmaceutical research.
