In order to solve one of the most recurrent health problems in Peru, a team of national scientists has been developing a kit for rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis, as well as of its resistance to various drugs, using the Microscopic Observation Drug Susceptibility (MODS) test.
A dangerous and contagious disease
Peru has 14% of tuberculosis cases in the Americas, with 1,457 of them being multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and 121 extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.
These types of TB refer to cases in which the disease has mutated to become resistant to first-line medications or drugs, as well as to the set of medicines usually used to fight it.
In the face of the epidemiological situation, this technology seeks to facilitate the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using a liquid culture kit in the standard MODS test.
An improved kit
For this presentation, transport conditions have been improved since the elements have been dehydrated to avoid low temperatures.
In addition, the dispensing of antibiotics has been simplified, using new materials that are permeable to gas but impervious to liquids in order to achieve oxygen exchange without risk of contamination.
According to the scientists, these features will make the diagnosis of tuberculosis accessible to more people, since the process will be simplified and the cost will be reduced given that the kit can be stored at room temperature.
(END) NDP/HML/RMB/MVB
Published: 1/8/2021