In humans, tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). It can affect any part of the body, although its effects on the lungs are the most prominent. In the developing countries where TB is prevalent, it has a mortality rate of 95%, and in some areas of Africa and Asia as many as 80% of people test positive for the disease.

​

Diagnosing TB is challenging, especially in developing countries and isolated villages. Detection often relies on methods such as sputum PCR, which cannot easily be carried out outside a laboratory. Samples therefore have to be sent to the nearest facility able to analyse them, and waiting for the results can take a long time. Combined with poorly performing laboratory tests, these delays can lead clinicians to make false positive or false negative treatment decisions. This worsens drug resistance (in both Mtb and other bacteria), means true cases of TB and other diseases are missed, and leads to catastrophic costs for both health providers and patients.

​

Detecting biochemical changes in urine that are linked to TB could make it possible to develop a point of care test, such as a lateral flow test. This would make diagnosis easier, particularly in places with no capacity for laboratory testing, and could also indicate how severe the disease is, and therefore how long treatment should last.

​

This collaborative study, carried out in partnership with Stellenbosch University, is identifying the key changes seen in patients with TB from Cape Province, South Africa.

​

Working together, we aim to develop new tests that allow TB to be detected and managed more effectively.