Researchers from the Stellenbosch University are co-ordinating a large international research project aimed at improving earlier diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis in children.
Experts say the disease poses a serious threat in countries with a high tuberculosis burden and limited specialised healthcare.
The PRECISE-TBM initiative brings together experts from Africa and Europe to develop faster and simpler diagnostic tests to use in primary healthcare facilities.
The project’s co-ordinator, Professor Novel Chegou, says, “The nice thing about the tools that we are developing is that, unlike at the moment, where you have to use very expensive scans, expensive laboratory techniques before diagnosing, the tests that we’re going to be evaluating in the project are based on simple technology. High technical expertise is not required. It’s easy to perform. It can be performed even at home. They will yield results within no more than 15 minutes. You have a diagnosis compared to the current approach, where it takes so long and so many visits. So, we are hoping that if successful, this project, the tests that we’re going to develop and evaluate in this project, are going to change the way we manage TB meningitis across all settings, you know, especially high burden settings in Africa and in Asia.”
