A $4 Tongue Swab Test Detects Tuberculosis in 30 Minutes
A new tuberculosis test using a simple tongue swab could make diagnosing the disease faster and more accessible in low-resource settings. The test costs roughly $4 and delivers results in about 30 minutes.
Traditional tuberculosis diagnosis often requires patients to produce a sputum sample, which can be difficult for children, people with advanced disease, or those with compromised lung function. The tongue swab approach bypasses this requirement by detecting TB bacteria present in oral secretions.
The test could be particularly valuable in regions where healthcare infrastructure is limited and TB remains a leading cause of illness and death. By reducing reliance on laboratory equipment and specialized sample collection, the method may help identify cases that would otherwise go undiagnosed.