Making tuberculosis diagnosis simpler, faster, and more convenient

Can you imagine being able to find out whether you have tuberculosis in under an hour? A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that a portable device called MiniDock MTB could help make that possible.

Traditionally, tuberculosis (TB) testing involves collecting a sputum sample, which is thick mucus from the lungs. Many patients find it difficult to produce this sample, often experiencing chest pain or discomfort. Moreover, culturing bacteria from sputum can take days to weeks, highlighting the need for more efficient testing to ensure timely treatment. To improve the diagnostic tools, it's important to explore alternative methods, and MiniDock MTB could play a significant role.

How can you find out if you have TB within minutes? 

MiniDock MTB is a portable, low-cost, ‘point-of-care’ molecular testing device that can detect tuberculosis bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) from a patient’s sputum or tongue-swab sample. Tongue swab sampling allows for testing patients who can't produce enough sputum. It helps solve important problems in tuberculosis testing-  sputum scarcity, safety risks, and high costs, while still providing results without needing a complex laboratory set-up. It is a battery-operated thermal (temperature-stable) platform that produces results in just 12 to 25 minutes. 

How does MiniDock MTB work?

The test looks for specific parts of the bacteria's genes. It uses a special technique called ‘RNase hybridisation-assisted amplification’ to copy and highlight these genes so they can be easily spotted. Before running the test, the sample is broken down using another device called Pluslife Thermolyse, which  prepares the sample in the following two steps:

1. Shaking (Mechanical Lysis): It spins the sample at 3000 rpm to physically break open the cells.

2. Heating (Thermal Lysis): It heats the sample to 75°C for 5 minutes. Once this is done, the sample is ready to be tested.

Figure 1- Workflow of MiniDock MTB^[1]

What did the study find out?

The device was tested in approximately 1380 individuals from 7 countries with high TB burden- India, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, Vietnam, Zambia, and Uganda. 

The device correctly identified most TB cases while maintaining very high specificity (97.5 % for both sample types)^[3]. The sputum-based MiniDock test results were closely similar to the conventionally used test for TB (the Xpert MTB) and were also more sensitive than traditional smear microscopy. In this multinational study, MiniDock MTB’s performance was consistent with the WHO’s standards for near-point-of-care TB diagnostics and its usability across diverse clinical settings.  

Why should one consider MiniDock for TB diagnosis?

MiniDock MTB not only delivers strong performance but is also user-friendly and requires minimal training to operate. It enables non-invasive sampling, which enhances universal access to tuberculosis testing. The research shows that the MiniDock MTB is accurate, easy to use, and affordable, which is important for future tuberculosis diagnostics. The test meets the World Health Organisation's requirements for near-point-of-care tests. It is cost-effective, quick, convenient, easy to operate, does not require sample extraction, and is suitable for use in remote or resource-limited areas. Hence, it is a valuable alternative to existing tests, expanding access to tuberculosis diagnosis, enhancing case detection, and providing high-quality testing closer to patients' communities. 

Tuberculosis in India

Tuberculosis remains one of India’s deadliest infectious diseases. India accounts for nearly 27% of the global tuberculosis burden, with an estimated 2.7 to 3 million new cases and over 320,000 deaths annually^[2]. India continues to have the highest TB burden amongst all countries, accounting for nearly a third of the incident TB cases and deaths globally.^[4] However, timely and early diagnosis can help eliminate TB incidence rates globally. A growing number of startups in India are actively developing innovative tools that aim to transform and improve tuberculosis diagnostics-

1. DeepTek’s Genki, Pune - Genki is an AI-powered TB detection and lung health screening tool. It uses computer-aided detection (CADe) software to analyse chest X-rays (CXRs) and identify numerous conditions, including TB. Genki is widely used in the National TB Elimination Programs to interpret digital chest radiographs for TB screening.^[5]

2. Salcit Technologies’s Swaasa, Hyderabad- Swaasa uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to analyse cough sounds to identify unique cough signatures and detect the possible presence of pulmonary tuberculosis using AI algorithms. This allows healthcare professionals to remotely monitor patients and provide early diagnosis and treatment for respiratory diseases.^[6]

3. HaystackAnalytics’s ΩTB, Mumbai- The Omega TB is an advanced test that reads the complete genetic code of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with the help of whole genome sequencing (WGS). It also provides information to identify whether the bacteria are resistant to any of 18 anti- TB drugs, helping doctors choose the most effective treatment. It simultaneously also helps determine whether a patient has been reinfected with TB and is experiencing a relapse.

   
   

Conclusion

The MiniDock MTB and other startup products from India highlight the importance of making TB diagnosis accessible to everyone. The only way to effectively fight TB is to raise awareness of such innovative products, which go beyond the conventional tests available in hospitals. These advancements show that science has progressed beyond just laboratories and hospitals and is actively working towards improving public health.

References

1. https://www.pluslife.com/productinfo/1268173.html 

2. https://dghs.mohfw.gov.in/national-tuberculosis-elimination-programme.php 

3. Yerlikaya, S., Chirwa, M., Ajide, B., Castro, M. D. M., Ha, H., Kato-Maeda, M., Kisakye, E., Marcelo, D., Mochizuki, T., Rockman, L., Steadman, A., Thangakunam, B., Bimba, J. S., Christopher, D. J., Muyoyeta, M., Phan, H., Theron, G., Yu, C., Kremer, K., Phillips, P. P. J., … R2D2 TB Network and SMART4TB Consortia (2026). Pulmonary Tuberculosis Detection with MiniDock MTB Using Swab Samples. The New England journal of medicine, 394(17), 1710–1722. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2509761 

4. Pai, M., & Swaminathan, S. (2023). India is well placed to scale innovations in tuberculosis diagnostics. The Indian journal of medical research, 157(2&3), 114–117. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijmr.ijmr_243_23 

5. Jayaraman, P., S, S., Paul, S., Pant, R., Gupte, T., Kulkarni, V., & Kharat, A. (2025). Artificial intelligence as a proficient tool in detecting pulmonary tuberculosis in massive population screening programs: a case study in Chennai, India. Journal of rural medicine: JRM, 20(1), 13–19. https://doi.org/10.2185/jrm.2024-015 

6. https://www.indiahealthfund.org/portfolio-salcit-technologies-swaasa/ 

Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board