Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a new blood test technology for tuberculosis (TB) that can accurately identify the active and infectious (transmissible) form of the disease. The aim of this development is not only to enable rapid diagnosis and timely treatment but also to help prevent the spread of TB through proper identification.
Currently used TB tests are unable to differentiate whether the infection is active or latent. Although TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, only individuals with active infection can transmit the disease to others, as they can spread the bacteria while coughing, sneezing, or talking.
In this regard, Professor Imran H. Khan of the university stated that in countries affected by TB, approximately 35 to 40 percent of the general population carries the infection in a latent form, meaning people have been exposed to the bacterium but may never become ill. In such cases, tests that also return positive results for latent infection are not very effective in identifying active TB patients, as the real risk comes from those individuals who can unknowingly spread the disease to others.
This new research could prove to be an important milestone in the fight against tuberculosis in the future.
