{
  "id": 12672035,
  "title": "Rapid low-cost diagnosis within reach for tuberculosis 'missed millions,' researchers find",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/rapid-low-cost-diagnosis-within-reach-for-tuberculosis-missed",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-07T17:20:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-rapid-diagnosis-tuberculosis-millions.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A massive global study conducted by Start4All, a partnership involving LSTM and other organizations, has revealed that pooled sputum testing for tuberculosis could significantly improve access to accurate, rapid, and low-cost diagnostics. Published in The Lancet Global Health, the study demonstrated that pooled testing halves the number of cartridges needed for successful diagnoses, cutting costs by over 50%. While sensitivity drops slightly in low-bacterial-load samples, the technique could rapidly diagnose thousands more TB cases worldwide. The findings directly informed WHO guidelines recommending pooled testing for adolescents and adults in resource-constrained settings. This approach uses existing laboratory equipment, enabling healthcare professionals and national TB programs to expand access to molecular TB testing in communities worldwide.",
  "summary": "These findings were generated by the largest-ever study of \"pooled\" tuberculosis (TB) testing, carried out by Start4All, a partnership led by LSTM with the Stop TB Partnership and research partners in seven countries with a high TB burden.",
  "key_points": [
    "Pooled sputum testing for TB could halve cartridge usage and cut costs over 50%",
    "Sensitivity slightly lower in low-bacterial-load samples, but rapid diagnosis possible",
    "WHO guidelines adopt pooled testing for adolescents and adults in resource-constrained settings"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}