Blood Biomarkers-Based Test to Enable Rapid Diagnosis and Treatment of Tuberculosis

Contrary to popular belief, tuberculosis, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is far from eradicated. In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), tuberculosis claims approximately 1.5 million lives annually, making it the deadliest infectious disease in many parts of the world. Prompt detection and treatment of the disease are critical, both for patient health and to prevent further spread, particularly in regions with insufficient infrastructure. The current gold standard for tuberculosis testing relies on a bacterial culture of patients' sputum samples. This method, however, has several limitations, including prolonged wait times for results and a lack of sensitivity and accuracy. Now, a new study has found that biomarkers in the blood can be used to diagnose tuberculosis rapidly and accurately.

Biomarkers are measurable biological components in the blood that provide insight into the body's immune processes at a particular stage. The immune response triggered by a tuberculosis infection can be indicated by specific biomarkers, suggesting a person may have tuberculosis. Researchers at the University of Oslo (Oslo, Norway) and Stellenbosch University (Stellenbosch, South Africa) conducted a collaborative study by analyzing blood samples from patients both with and without tuberculosis in South Africa and Norway to evaluate the diagnostic potential of known biomarkers. The results showed that most biomarkers accurately indicated the presence of tuberculosis, in line with findings from previous studies.

Furthermore, the research team discovered that combinations of different biomarkers yielded superior performance compared to individual biomarkers. The study also explored the use of biomarkers to track antibiotic treatment effectiveness in often severely ill and hospitalized tuberculosis patients. By utilizing various statistical methods, the researchers observed changes in selected immune-related blood biomarkers' concentrations from the beginning of treatment through two weeks, two months, and six months of therapy. These observations underscored the potential of these biomarkers in monitoring treatment response. Based on the biomarkers examined in the study, the researchers believe that it is possible to develop new and better tuberculosis tests. Such tests could be particularly vital in areas severely impacted by the disease and lacking adequate infrastructure.

“The results from our study are promising. They show that the biomarkers we investigated have good diagnostic value for tuberculosis,” said Bih Hycenta Chendi, a researcher at Stellenbosch University. “Such a tool will ensure that we can make the diagnosis quickly and easily. It can also help reduce the number of undiagnosed cases and those affected can receive faster treatment. In particular, the gains will be large in African environments with few resources.”

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University of Oslo 
Stellenbosch University