EN - Educational (Strategic Plan) - Flipbook - Page 30
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SCIENTISTS DEVELOP NEW
SKIN TEST FOR TB
The new method is a non-invasive, quick and highly accurate way
of detecting the disease.
The new diagnostic pathway, called
A‑Patch, includes nano sensors which
detect TB compounds emitted from
the skin. A specifically designed sensor
array translates these findings into a
point‑of‑care diagnosis by discriminating
between active pulmonary TB patients and
controls, with sensitivity above 90% and
70% specificity.
“This fulfils the World Health Organisation
triage test requirements and has the potential
to become a TB triage or screening test,” said
Professor Keertan Dheda, the head of UCT’s
Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity.
Dheda and colleagues tested the tool on a
sample of 320 people in Cape Town and 316
in New Delhi in India. This study population
included newly diagnosed and confirmed
pulmonary-active TB cases, healthy
volunteers, and confirmed non‑TB cases.
The results were published in the journal
Advanced Science.
About 95% of TB cases occur in
developing countries, including locations
where people live on less than US$1 per day.
About one‑third of the world population has
latent TB, with a lifetime risk of 5 to 10% of
developing active disease.
“Implementing the sensor array approach
into an adhesive bandage is an additional
step towards a simple and cost‑effective
wearable patch to address the TB epidemic
in both developing and developed
countries,” Dheda said.
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