The diagnosis of tuberculosis in children is much easier

The poet test was first tested for ease of use in a laboratory in Ethiopia. A French pharmaceutical group wanted to compare the quality of its own tuberculosis test with that of KNCV. The development of the catalog cost the KNCV about 10,000 euros. Millions have been invested in that of the French pharmaceutical company. "Our test was much better," says Van Weezenbeek. "Therefore, the French have up to now prohibited us from publishing this data."

The French test proved to be 74% reliable, the lowest being 100%. It was in the laboratory, but even in a small study conducted in patients in Indonesia, the influenza test proved itself. In a Bandung hospital, 36 children suspected of tuberculosis were tested in two ways: using expectoration and pooping.

Of all the children whose sputum samples were positive for tuberculosis, the poop sample was. However, three children whose test results were negative in the sputum sample clearly showed tuberculosis in the poop sample. larger scale in Indonesia and Ethiopia. This should give more data. She must convince WHO to change the guidelines so that the most promising one becomes the standard method for testing children for TB in the near future.

The GeneXpert is present in more and more places. In Nigeria, for example, hundreds of copies of the device are in use. According to Van Weezenbeek, the GeneXpert costs around one thousand euros and the models cost ten euros. "For poor countries, these costs are mainly borne by international funds and charities."