Tuberculosis (TB) is a persistent global health issue, especially for individuals with HIV. The co-infection of TB and HIV poses a significant challenge for accurate diagnosis and treatment, as HIV can mask TB symptoms and make traditional tests less effective. This poses a serious threat to public health, as TB remains the leading cause of death among those with HIV worldwide.
However, a groundbreaking development by researchers at Tulane University has led to the creation of a new handheld TB test that revolutionizes the detection of TB in individuals with HIV. Published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the ASTRA (Antigen-Specific T-cell Response Assay) device is a game-changer in TB diagnosis, offering same-day results without the need for a laboratory or trained staff.
The ASTRA test is powered by a beetle-inspired chemical reaction and requires only a drop of blood to detect TB with 87% specificity in HIV-infected individuals, compared to the traditional IGRA blood test’s 60% accuracy. By identifying two new biomarkers that are not affected by HIV, the ASTRA test can effectively detect TB even in the presence of HIV co-infection.
The device operates by stimulating a response from immune cells in the blood sample, without the need for electricity. Inspired by the bombardier beetle’s defense mechanism, the ASTRA combines two chemicals to propel the sample across a chip for diagnosis. This innovative approach delivers results in just four hours, significantly faster than existing tests that can take up to 24 hours for a diagnosis.
The ASTRA’s performance was validated using samples from a cohort in Eswatini, a country with high TB incidence and high HIV prevalence. This validation underscores the device’s potential to improve testing accuracy, access, and speed in regions with a high burden of TB and HIV co-infection.
As drug-resistant strains of TB continue to emerge, the rapid and accurate diagnosis provided by the ASTRA test is crucial for initiating timely and effective treatment. By closing the diagnostic gap in HIV hotspots, the ASTRA test has the potential to save lives and prevent the spread of TB among vulnerable populations.
In conclusion, the development of the ASTRA handheld TB test represents a major breakthrough in TB diagnosis, particularly for individuals with HIV. By providing quick and accurate results in resource-limited settings, this innovative device has the potential to accelerate efforts to eliminate TB as a global health threat.
