Advancement in the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) management and the prevention of drug-resistant strains rely heavily on timely detection and efficient treatment. Conventional diagnostic methods, while accurate, frequently require expensive laboratory equipment and can take several weeks, emphasizing the critical need for rapid and reliable point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. This chapter offers an overview of commonly used TB screening and diagnostic techniques, such as delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assays like QuantiFERON-TB Gold, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the GeneXpert system, which offer high sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, advanced molecular techniques such as nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAATs), MTBDRplus, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), line probe assay (LPA), and whole genome sequencing (WGS) are increasingly employed for rapid and accurate tuberculosis diagnosis and drug resistance profiling. Emerging biosensing technologies, enhanced by nanotechnology, offer prospective pathways for early tuberculosis diagnosis by providing portable, sensitive, and user-friendly diagnostic solutions. These advancements encompass both non-nuclear and molecular techniques, making diagnosis possible even in resource-limited settings. When combined with standardized treatment procedures, diagnostic improvements make a significant contribution to global tuberculosis control and eradication efforts.