Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), remains a global health threat, and the increasing resistance to key TB drugs like Rifampicinn (RIF) and Isoniazid (INH) is critical as the obstacle to global TB control efforts. Rapid and accurate molecular test of TB and resistance to RIF& INH is recommended by the WHO to identify the infected patients timely and provide them with appropriate in-time treatment.
Challenges
An estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with TB in 2022, resulting in an estimated 1.3 million deaths, far from the 2025 milestone of the End TB Strategy
Drug-resistant TB, particularly MDR-TB (resistant to RIF & INH), is increasingly affecting the global TB treatment and prevention.
Rapid simultaneous TB and RIF/INH resistance diagnosis urgently required for earlier and more effective treatment compared with delayed drug susceptibility testing results.