TB kills nearly 2 million people every year even though it is entirely curable. And the numbers of people infected are increasing. It currently takes between 2-6 months to make an accurate diagnosis and the longer the patient has to wait the more people can be infected.
American scientists have developed a molecular test which gives an accurate diagnosis within 2 hours. The GeneXpert system can also detect whether or not the strain of TB is drug-resistant, which is a growing problem. Patients with drug-resistant TB are given different drugs so it’s vital to know early on.
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