Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Credit Card-Sized Test Boosts TB Detection in HIV Hotspots

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 30 Jun 2025

Current tuberculosis (TB) tests face major limitations when it comes to accurately diagnosing the infection in individuals living with HIV. More...

HIV, a frequent co-infection with TB, complicates detection by eliminating the very immune cells that many traditional TB tests depend on to flag the infection. While over 90% of the estimated 2 billion global TB cases remain latent—showing no symptoms and posing no transmission risk—the compromised immune systems of HIV-positive individuals can cause latent TB to become active. This transformation significantly raises the risk of further transmission and frequently leads to fatal outcomes. In fact, TB stands as the primary cause of death among people with HIV across the globe. Now, a newly developed handheld diagnostic tool offers a major advancement, significantly improving TB detection in HIV-infected individuals, according to research published in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

The portable device, developed at Tulane University (New Orleans, LA, USA), operates without electricity and is driven by a beetle-inspired chemical reaction. It addresses a persistent gap in the detection of TB among HIV-positive individuals, a gap that has long hindered global TB eradication efforts. To overcome the limitations posed by HIV-related immune suppression, researchers identified two new biomarkers that can reveal TB infection independently of the immune cells typically targeted by the virus. Named ASTRA (Antigen-Specific T-cell Response Assay), this compact, credit card-sized device requires just a single drop of blood and can deliver same-day diagnostic results without the need for laboratory infrastructure or skilled technicians. Once a drop of blood is added, the test must incubate for four hours, during which a built-in reagent stimulates immune cells. This reagent acts like a “wanted poster,” prompting the immune cells to respond if they’ve previously encountered TB bacteria.

To eliminate the need for electricity, researchers took inspiration from the bombardier beetle, which defends itself by mixing two chemicals that produce a forceful spray. Similarly, the ASTRA device uses a pair of chemicals that react to push the sample through a microchip for final analysis. The test delivers results in approximately four hours, significantly faster than the commonly used IGRA (Interferon-Gamma Release Assay), which requires 24 hours, and the TB skin test, which can take two to three days to yield a diagnosis. The effectiveness of ASTRA was validated using blood samples from individuals in Eswatini, a country with high TB incidence and the world’s highest known HIV prevalence (27.3%). Compared to IGRA, ASTRA demonstrated 87% specificity in detecting TB among HIV-infected individuals, markedly outperforming IGRA’s 60%. The device also surpassed IGRA in detecting TB in patients without HIV, underscoring its broader diagnostic potential.

“Current tests such as the IGRA are cost-prohibitive or require access to facilities that resource-limited communities don’t have. If we are going to eliminate TB, we have to diagnose and treat as many infection cases as possible,” said senior author Tony Hu, PhD, Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Biotechnology Innovation at Tulane University and director of the Tulane Center for Cellular & Molecular Diagnostics. “The sooner you have a diagnosis, the sooner you can begin the process of determining proper treatment. TB is the No. 1 pathogen HIV patients worry about globally. If treatment is available, we should be working to kill these bacteria, latent or not.”

Related Links:
Tulane University


New
Gold Member
Collection and Transport System
PurSafe Plus®
Collection and Transport System
PurSafe Plus®
New
6 Part Hematology Analyzer with RET + IPF
Mispa HX 88
Autoimmune Disease Diagnostic
Chorus ds-DNA-G
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: Dormant tumor cells evade imaging tests and may later reactivate to spread metastatic breast cancer (Photo courtesy of David A. Litman/Shutterstock)

MRD Testing Can Identify Breast Cancer Survivors at Higher Risk of Recurrence

Breast cancer survival rates continue to improve, but recurrence remains incurable and affects around 30% of patients. Some subtypes, like triple negative and HER2+, relapse within years, while ER+ cancers... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: New research points to protecting blood during radiation therapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments

Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. Each blood cell passing through... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The test could streamline clinical decision-making by identifying ideal candidates for immunotherapy upfront (Xiao, Y. et al. Cancer Biology & Medicine July 2025, 20250038)

Blood Test Predicts Immunotherapy Efficacy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype lacking targeted therapies, making immunotherapy a promising yet unpredictable option. Current biomarkers such as PD-L1 expression or tumor... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: The sensor can help diagnose diabetes and prediabetes on-site in a few minutes using just a breath sample (Photo courtesy of Larry Cheng/Penn State)

Graphene-Based Sensor Uses Breath Sample to Identify Diabetes and Prediabetes in Minutes

About 37 million U.S. adults live with diabetes, and one in five is unaware of their condition. Diagnosing diabetes often requires blood draws or lab visits, which are costly and inconvenient.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.