The power of knowing

Infection by the TB infectious agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis can exist within the human body as a contained latent infection, active disease, or be eradicated by the host immunological response.  TB diagnostics are required to categorize a patient into one of these categories.  However, case detection remains difficult today due to inaccurate diagnostic methods and confounding factors such as HIV infection, immunosuppressive therapies, anti-tuberculosis treatments, drug-resistant TB bacteria strains and poorly understood other factors[1].  Modern-day TB diagnostic tools in developed countries are neither appropriate nor affordable for resource-poor environments.  National TB programs in disease-endemic countries still rely on older and inaccurate methods for confirming TB in patients.  Without correct diagnosis of a patient’s condition, there is lower probability that appropriate medical treatment will be provided and effect a cure of the disease.