title: Can the power of mobile phones be used to improve tuberculosis diagnosis in developing countries?
abstract: The low-cost Microscopic Observation Drug Susceptibility (MODS) assay is a non-proprietary test that delivers rapid and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug-resistant TB. Although methodologically straightforward, implementation is challenging in isolated settings where personnel trained in plate reading are lacking. One affordable strategy to address this shortfall is the use of mobile phones, first to transmit images captured by an inverted microscope to a remote site where pattern recognition is performed by trained personnel, and second to receive the resulting output of this analysis. Such a system could be used for training of laboratory personnel through distance learning, resolution of equivocal appearances and quality assurance.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, San Martín de Porras, Lima, Perú. mzimic@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimic
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coronel
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Gilman
authors.forename: Carmen Giannina
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.forename: Walter H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Curioso
authors.forename: David A J
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D040421:Cell Phone; D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008853:Microscopy; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics