Low-Cost Strip Test

There is a lack of an accurate, swift, and low-cost test for the diagnosis of TB. These factors make the disease prevalent in resource-limited settings, leading to the continued spreading of the disease.

Detailed description of the solution

Partnering with industry and business, Madhukar Pai and his team seek to develop a simple strip test for extra-pulmonary TB with greater accuracy than current processes. A strip test generally involves the detection of lipoarabinomannan (LAM) in urine. The presence of LAM in urine can rule-in TB in HIV-infected persons, and lead to the identification of, based on clinical trials, patients with advanced immunosuppression and thus a more severe form of TB. They plan to make each test cost less than two dollars.

Designed by

• Designed by: Madhukar Pai and the Pai Tuberculosis Research Group based at McGill Univeristy
• Manufacturer (if different): n/a
• Manufacturer location: n/a

Funding Source

Received grant from Grand Challenges Canada as of Jun 29, 2011.

References

Other internally generated reports

• "A Low-Cost, Multiplexed, Point-of-Care Test for Extra-Pulmonary Tuberculosis."

Retrieved on Jul 17, 2014 from http://www.grandchallenges.ca/grantee-stars/0026-01/.

• "Canadian rising stars receive global health awards" (Jun 29, 2011). Retrieved on Jul 30, 2014 from http://web.archive.org/web/20140930181442/http://muhc.ca/patients/news/canadian-rising-stars-receive-global-health-awards.
• Peter JG, Theron G, Dheda K. "Can point-of-care urine LAM strip testing for tuberculosis add value to the clinical decision making in hospitalized HIV-infected persons? (Feb 4, 2013). Retrieved on Jul 19, 2014 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23390504.

Video

• "Madhukar Pai." Retrieved on Jul 30, 2014 from http://web.archive.org/web/20110919053951/http://www.grandchallenges.ca:80/canadianrisingstars_round1grantees/madhukarpai_en/.