Using giant African pouched rats to detect tuberculosis in human sputum samples: 2009 findings.
In 2009, giant African pouched rats trained to detect tuberculosis (TB) evaluated sputum samples from 10,523 patients whose sputum had previously been evaluated by smear microscopy. Microscopists found 13.3% of the patients to be TB-positive. Simulated second-line screening by the rats revealed 620 new TB-positive patients, increasing the case detection rate by 44%. These data suggest that the rats may be useful for TB detection in developing countries, although further research is needed.
Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling, Morogoro, Tanzania. alan.poling@wmich.edu
Alan
A
Poling
Bart J
BJ
Weetjens
Christophe
C
Cox
Georgies
G
Mgode
Maureen
M
Jubitana
Rudovic
R
Kazwala
Godfrey S
GS
Mfinanga
Diana
D
Huis In 't Veld
D000818:Animals; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; D006801:Humans; D012377:Rodentia; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*