May 2011 | Geneva |
WHO Stop TB Department has issued a Policy Statement and further information on the new rapid TB test that was endorsed by WHO in December 2010.
The rapid, fully-automated NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test) - also known as Xpert MTB/RIF assay - has been described as a major breakthrough in TB care and control. The table-top device can dramatically cut the time it takes to provide an accurate diagnosis of TB and rifampicin resistance for many patients - from up to three months to less than 2 hours.
Today, WHO publishes a detailed Policy Statement and a technical and operational 'how to' Rapid Implementation document aimed at assisting WHO Member States and partners who are implementing the test in the field. The WHO Policy Statement supplements information already available on the WHO Stop TB Department website relating to evidence of the rapid test's efficacy. The Rapid Implementation document describes WHO-recommended interim diagnostic algorithms, patient management approaches, practical considerations for rolling out the test in the field, and essential data to be collected to guide future scale-up.
- Policy statement: Automated real-time nucleic acid amplification technology for rapid and simultaneous detection of tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance: Xpert MTB/RIF system [pdf 930kb]
- Rapid implementation of the Xpert MTB/RIF diagnostic test. Technical and operational 'How-to'. Practical considerations [pdf 1.3Mb]
- 8 December 2011 - WHO endorses new rapid tuberculosis test