Young children account for 50% of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) cases but are least likely to be diagnosed and are at the highest risk of death without prompt treatment. Current available diagnostics – typically sputum-based – often fail to identify TB in children and are generally not reliable for measuring treatment response. There is a need to develop and evaluate novel diagnostic tools utilizing blood and urine, which may identify pediatric TB missed by respiratory sampling.
A new five-year study titled “CRISPR-TB for pediatric TB diagnosis and treatment response” funded by the National Institutes of Health will support an evaluation of a CRISPR-based technology to target and detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell-free DNA (cfDNA). The study’s findings may provide a deeper understanding of its potential to diagnosis pediatric TB early and accurately and improve treatment responses.
