Publications by authors named "Rane B Dragovich"

Article Synopsis
  • Tongue swab (TS) sampling combined with quantitative PCR (qPCR) shows promise as an alternative to sputum testing for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, although previous studies indicated lower sensitivity.
  • Two strategies were evaluated to enhance sensitivity: one involved centrifugation to concentrate MTB DNA, achieving 83% sensitivity and 100% specificity, while the other utilized sequence-specific magnetic capture, resulting in 90% sensitivity and 97% specificity.
  • These findings suggest that with further development, these methods could lead to more accessible and effective TB testing options.
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Unlabelled: Tongue swab (TS) sampling combined with qPCR to detect (MTB) DNA is a promising alternative to sputum testing for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. In prior studies, the sensitivity of tongue swabbing has usually been lower than sputum. In this study, we evaluated two strategies to improve sensitivity.

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Article Synopsis
  • Tongue dorsum swabbing may serve as a simpler alternative to traditional sputum collection for tuberculosis (TB) testing, with previous studies showing good detection rates using the Xpert Ultra test.
  • In a study of 321 participants in South Africa, the Xpert Ultra achieved a sensitivity of 75.5% and specificity of 100%, while the Molbio Truenat MTB Ultima had a sensitivity of 71.6% and specificity of 96.9%.
  • The results indicate that tongue swabs could enhance TB testing efficiency, and further refinements could improve diagnostic accuracy.
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Article Synopsis
  • Tongue dorsum swabbing is a promising alternative to traditional sputum collection for TB testing, showing high sensitivity and specificity with the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra test.
  • A study with 321 participants in South Africa tested both Xpert Ultra and Molbio Truenat MTB Ultima using tongue swabs and found that Xpert Ultra had a sensitivity of 75.4% and MTB Ultima had 71.6%.
  • The findings indicate that tongue swabs allow for easier sample collection and maintain accurate results, making them suitable for high-throughput TB testing.
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