AN EVALUATION OF CURRENT DIAGNOSTIC METHODS FOR TUBERCLOSIS IN RESOURCE-POOR AREAS AND A PROPOSAL FOR A MORE SENSITIVE TEST by

Tuberculosis is a uniquely tough disease to diagnose and treat, mainly due to its unique cell membrane, the environment, and other socio-cultural factors. As HIV and TB rates rise in endemic countries, more and more people are becoming susceptible to an incurable TB infection, and more are being missed in the diagnostic process. Now, the need for a more sensitive diagnostic test that can be easily used in resource-poor settings is more necessary than ever. In this essay, a review of current TB diagnostic techniques used in resource-poor settings is discussed, as well as their drawbacks for detecting TB in the various forms of TB disease. To illustrate this point, one TB diagnostic clinic located in South India, is used as an example of how current techniques are used in resource-poor settings. Finally, the gold standard of TB diagnostics is compared to an already existing method adapted with the cheap and easy-to-use TB Beads. If TB Beads are in fact able to detect mycobacterium better, faster, and cheaper than other methods available, its importance in global public health and the control of TB disease is beyond measurable. AN EVALUATION OF CURRENT DIAGNOSTIC METHODS FOR TUBERCLOSIS IN RESOURCE-POOR AREAS AND A PROPOSAL FOR A MORE SENSITIVE TEST Helen McGuirk, MPH University of Pittsburgh, 2014