The incremental value of tuberculosis detecting African giant pouched rats over Smear microscopy and Xpert MTB/RIF for Tanzanian TB detection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Prior studies that used Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling (APOPO)-trained African giant pouched rats reported an annual average of 40% increase in sputum-smear-positive tuberculosis (TB) detection. Sputum-smear microscopy (smear) is being replaced by Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert)-based diagnostic algorithms in many countries. We evaluated the incremental values of rat-based case detection over smear and Xpert.

Methods

From January to December 2023, sputum samples were collected from presumptive TB patients at 69 health facilities that use Xpert or smear-based diagnostic algorithms. An average of five rats were used at APOPO to re-evaluate the second sample from Xpert-negative patients and the smear-negative sample. Concentrated smears and Ziehl-Neelsen

SUBMITTER: Agizew TB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12040174 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature