Update on the diagnosis of tuberculosis

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global public health threat, and the development of rapid and precise diagnostic tools is the key to enabling the early start of treatment, monitoring response to treatment, and preventing the spread of the disease.

Objectives: An overview of recent progress in host- and pathogen-based TB diagnostics.

Sources: We conducted a PubMed search of recent relevant articles and guidelines on TB screening and diagnosis.

Content: An overview of currently used methods and perspectives in the following areas of TB diagnostics is provided: immune-based diagnostics, X-ray, clinical symptoms and scores, cough detection, culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and identifying its resistance profile using phenotypic and genotypic methods, including next-generation sequencing, sputum- and non-sputum-based molecular diagnosis of TB and monitoring of response to treatment.

Implications: A brief overview of the most relevant advances and changes in international guidelines regarding screening and diagnosing TB is provided in this review. It aims at reviewing all relevant areas of diagnostics, including both pathogen- and host-based methods.

Keywords: Diagnostics; Infectious disease; Non-sputum based; Novel diagnostics.