FORT COLLINS, Colo., Oct. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say they seek to develop a portable, simple-to-use tuberculosis test for use in the developing world.
Diego Krapf of Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo., says detection is key because an estimated 2 billion people worldwide carry TB but most do not even know because their infections are latent -- there are no symptoms.
However, 10 percent of latent cases will develop into "active" TB.
Krapf says what is needed is a way to widely detect latent TB where it is most prevalent.
He is leading a research team in developing a technique that uses light to detect traces of TB bacteria in fluids. They have used this technique to detect a single molecular marker of TB infection in solution.
The team's findings are to be presented by Barbara Smith at the annual meeting of the Optical Society in San Jose, Calif.
