TB-LAMP - Detect TB accurate and easily with TB-LAMP
TB remains a global health issue
Tuberculosis remains one of the major causes of death worldwide. In 2020, there were an estimated 9.9 million TB cases according to the WHO, of which about 1.5 million led to death. The majority of these cases occur in low- and middle-income countries. Most frightening, however, is the fact that of the estimated 9.9 million cases, about 4.1 million remain undetected. Gaps between the estimated number of new cases and the number actually reported are due to underreporting of cases detected and underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis. The reasons for that are manifold.
Dr. Valerie Flore Donkeng Donfack
Institute Pasteur International
Cameroon
Current methods have their limitations
Microscopy provides only inaccurate results (low sensitivity) and requires two patient samples on two different days. Culture, the gold standard, offers better sensitivity and specificity, but the Patient often has to wait several weeks for its result, during which valuable time for treatment is lost. The best performance is achieved by molecular methods. In addition to a complex workflow and complicated evaluation of results, expensive equipment, air conditioning and a good infrastructure (continuous power with good quality, safety benches, etc.) are often required.
These requirements are often not to be found or met in smaller and peripheral laboratories. The WHO therefore recommends TB-LAMP as an alternative to smear microscopy.
Eddie Samuneti Solo
Department of Pathology and Microbiology
University Teaching Hospital, Zambia
Detect TB accurate and easily with TB-LAMP
The TB-LAMP workflow allows an easy DNA extraction and preparation of reaction mixes in a few steps with only a minimum of equipment and reagents. Reagent storage and shipment at room temperature as well as the excellent test performance make molecular pathogen testing available in rural areas with limited settings. Only lever to find the missing cases is the access to sensitive and reliable diagnosis. Therefore: TB-LAMP - It's time for a change!
Nigeria
“TB-LAMP is a DNA-based method for quick TB diagnosis. It is fast, specific and has replaced microscopy because of its built-in heating block and UV light for reading sample results. It can be used in the remotest places because it's portable.
Chinyere Obiejemba,
Laboratory Technician,
EpiConsult Clinic & Diagnostic Centre Ltd.,
Abuja, Nigeria
Cameroon
“When I attended the training, I understood that TB-LAMP is beneficial for patients and technicians. Previously, the patient's first and second sputum was used in microscopy, but now, with the sensitivity of TB-LAMP, you only need to take the sputum once. With microscopy, it was difficult to handle 50 samples per day. This technique allows us to test 14 patients in one run and up to 70 in one day. For me, TB-LAMP is the best method for rapid detection of tuberculosis.”
Joel Wepngong Tabah,
Laboratory Technician,
Baptist Hospital Mutengene,
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Angola
“I like the HumaLoop T and the easy handling very much. As a journey from the capital Luanda to my lab takes about 3 days by road, it is especially important for us to have a reliable device that requires only a minimum service every 12 months.”
Tiago TxaVunda,
Laboratory Director,
HSC Nzagi,
Nzagi, Angola
India
“The high sensitivity, high throughput and the reliability of the assay, even under the challenging climate conditions, have convinced us. With this novel technology, we have the opportunity to find more tuberculosis cases than with traditional methods.”
Anupam Kumar,
Dr. Lal PathLabs,
Delhi, India
Kenya
“We love using the new TB-LAMP technology: it is very quick and only takes about two hours for 14 samples per run. Thus a patient gets clarity on the same day whether he has TB or not. TB-LAMP provides very reliable results with a high sensitivity and specificity. Lastly, the HumaLoop T is a simple small machine which requires little infrastructure.”
Anderson Mugendi & Simon Chege,
Laboratory Technicians,
Kangemi Health Center,
Nairobi, Kenya
