A new rapid test for TB diagnose, launched in Great Britain
In a recent edition of BBC News Health, British scientists announced the development of a new ultra-sensitive rapid test, for tuberculosis diagnosis.
The new investigation method, devised by the Health Protection Agency allows for the result to be determined in less then an hour and is able to detect all the TB strains thus reducing the tuberculosis incidence and consequences worldwide.
According to the World Health Organization, in 2008, an estimated 1.3 million people died from TB worldwide which makes this disease one of the most important public health challenges.
Dr Mario Raviglione, director of the World Heath Organization's Stop TB department, says these new generation tests could potentially revolutionize TB treatment: "The diagnosis of TB is extremely difficult today. If you had a test which rapidly and at the point of care could detect TB immediately you would gain weeks or months in treating that person and avoid them going around for another five to eight weeks infecting others."
The WHO estimates that a third of the world's population carries TB bacteria. Only 5-10% of people who are infected become sick or infectious at some time during their life.
Recent years have seen a resurgence in TB infections in developed countries, and have seen the rise of strains resistant to medication which are harder to cure and more expensive as far as treatment and hospitalization are concerned.
Therefore, early diagnosis of tuberculosis will increase significantly the chances for full and timely recovery and will contribute to containing the spread of disease in the general population.
