The Pan African Medical Journal (Aug 2015)

Using giant african pouched rats to detect human tuberculosis: a review

  • Alan Poling,
  • manda Mahoney,
  • Negussie Beyene,
  • Georgies Mgode,
  • Bart Weetjens,
  • Christophe Cox,
  • Amy Durgin

DOI
https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2015.21.333.2977
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21, no. 333

Abstract

Read online

Despite its characteristically low sensitivity, sputum smear microscopy remains the standard for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in resource-poor countries. In an attempt to develop an alternative or adjunct to microscopy, researchers have recently examined the ability of pouched rats to detect TB-positive human sputum samples and the microbiological variables that affect their detection. Ten published studies, reviewed herein, suggest that the rats are able to detect the specific odor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes TB, and can substantially increase new-case detections when used for second-line TB screening following microscopy. Further research is needed to ascertain the rats' ability to detect TB in children and in HIV-positive patients, to detect TB when used for first-line screening, and to be useful in broad-scale applications where cost-effectiveness is a major consideration.

Keywords