Evaluation of an ultrasensitive molecular assay to detect active tuberculosis from non-sputum samples in Thailand

Background and Rationale

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). About a quarter of the global population is estimated to have been infected with TB. About 5–10% of people infected with TB have symptoms and develop TB disease. M. tb causes TB disease in 10 million people annually, and is responsible for 1.6 million deaths1. 80% of the disease burden occurs in low- and middle-income countries1. Notably, Thailand is among the top 20 countries2 with a high TB burden of 153 cases reported per 100,000 people3, 4. Tuberculosis (TB) is endemic in Thailand, with an incidence rate three-time higher than the global average rate. It is estimated that 12,000 people die annually due to TB5. Aligning with the World Health Organization Global End TB Plan, Thailand launched its Operational Plan to End TB (2017-2021), prioritizing strategies to expedite TB case finding to ensure complete coverage of at-risk populations (i.e., the elderly, prisoners, and people living with HIV)6.