Assessing the performance of a point-of-need diagnostic algorithm in rapid detection of peripheral lymph node tuberculosis (Mobile-TB-Lab): a diagnostic evaluation study protocol.

Journal: BMJ open
Published Date: May 30, 2025

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Early and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) is central to ensuring the proper treatment and curbing the transmission of the disease. Despite the significant burden, the diagnosis of peripheral lymph node(LN)TB, the most prevalent form of extra pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB), has been challenging in low resource settings. To meet the existing needs, the Mobile-TB-Lab study set out to evaluate two innovative approaches, including thermal imaging and recombinase-aided amplification assay (RAA) in Minoo for point-of-need diagnosis of LNTB. The synergy of these index tests is expected to pave the way for rapid detection of EPTB in resource-constrained settings.

Authors

  • Prakash Ghosh
    Institute for Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany prakash.ghosh@uni-leipzig.de.
  • Shaheda Anwar
    Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Bangladesh Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Martin Siegel
    Department of Empirical Health Economics, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
  • Julius Boniface Okuni
    Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
  • Manfred Weidmann
    Institute for Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
  • Nishad Tasnim Mithila
    International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Kevin Cassar
    Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
  • Sophie Elisabeth Müller
    Department of Medicine II, Saarland University Medical Center, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany; Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Center for Infectious Diseases, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany. sophieelisabeth.mueller@uks.eu.
  • Farhana Rahman Luba
    International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Rea Maja Kobialka
    Institute for Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
  • Bishnu Pada Dey
    Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Arianna Ceruti
    Institute for Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
  • Lydia Nakiyingi
    Department of Internal Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
  • Elizabeth Ekirapa Kiracho
    Department of Health Policy Planning and Management, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
  • Syed Nazin Morshed
    International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Cemre Arpa
    Department of Empirical Health Economics, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
  • Md Arko Ayon Chowdhury
    International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Bishwajit Bhowmik
    Radiology & Imaging, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Ahmed Abu Saleh
    Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Bangladesh Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Ahmed Abd El Wahed
    Institute for Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
  • Dinesh Mondal
    International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Sophie Schneitler
    University Clinic Saarland, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Saarland, Germany.

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