Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of infectious disease mortality worldwide, often affecting the lungs and other organs. Accurate and rapid diagnosis is a challenge, especially in areas without adequate laboratory infrastructure. A new portable test, MiniDock MTB, may address this issue by diagnosing TB within 30 minutes using sputum or tongue swab samples.
The MiniDock MTB test uses a simple test card, on which a sample from sputum or a tongue swab is placed. The sample is analyzed by a portable, battery-powered device that detects DNA specific to TB bacteria. This method allows for quick diagnosis without complex laboratory facilities.
Researchers led by Dr. Adithya Cattamanchi evaluated the MiniDock MTB at clinics in seven countries across Asia and Africa, involving 1,380 individuals aged 12 or older suspected of TB infection. Of these, 226 (16.4%) had confirmed TB. The test identified over 85% of confirmed TB cases using sputum and nearly 80% with tongue swabs, while keeping false positives under 2.5% for both sample types.
Compared to traditional microscopy—examining sputum under a microscope—the MiniDock MTB showed higher sensitivity for both sputum and tongue swab samples. It also matched the sensitivity of existing molecular DNA detection tests when using sputum samples. Importantly, MiniDock MTB met the World Health Organization’s performance standards for TB diagnostics.
These findings suggest MiniDock MTB may provide a low-cost, rapid, and accurate way to improve TB diagnosis and treatment access, especially in resource-limited settings.