Indigenous TB test can enhance accuracy, speed up testing

Researchers at the Thiruvananthapuram-based Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology have developed and tested a novel, cost-effective, real-time LAMP assay for early diagnosis of TB. “With six primers used for amplification compared with two in the case RT-PCRs, the rate of amplification is high, and hence results of positive samples can be obtained in 10-20 minutes,” says Dr. Anoopkumar Thekkuveettil from SCTIMST and the corresponding author of a paper published in Scientific Reports. “Since all six primers need to bind to the DNA for amplification to begin, the rt-LAMP assay has very high specificity.” Since no probe is used unlike in the case of RT-PCR tests, and as the dye and primers are inexpensive, the rt-LAMP test becomes highly affordable. “The rt-LAMP assay kit has been developed as an open platform system which allows existing RT-PCR machines to be repurposed for TB diagnosis. With nearly 79% of presumptive TB cases in India diagnosed using sputum smear microscopy and only 21% tested using molecular assay as recently as 2023, India continues to over-rely on smear microscopy for TB diagnosis.