Scientists from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed a new device that can detect tuberculosis (TB) DNA in exhaled air. The innovation could help diagnose patients who struggle to produce sputum, which is normally used for TB testing.
The study, published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, was conducted in South Africa and involved 137 adults with tuberculosis. Researchers used a device named TB Hotspot detectOR (THOR), which collects aerosols using electrostatic sampling. The samples were analysed with the same technique used for sputum tests, known as Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra.
Results showed that the device detected TB DNA in 47% of patients who had positive sputum tests. Among those with higher bacterial levels, sensitivity increased to 57%, while the specificity reached 77%. These findings suggest the device could complement existing TB diagnostics in difficult testing conditions.
Lead researcher Jay Achar said detecting infectious TB directly in air is a major step forward. The team believes this method could improve early diagnosis, understand TB transmission better, and identify contagious individuals sooner, helping control the spread of the disease.
