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CMRI & BM Birla Introduces Hain Test for Mycobacterium to Detect TB in 2 Days

This is said to be the first of its kind initiative in Eastern India

To fulfill the commitment of providing world class healthcare facility to the people of Bengal, the NABL and CAP accredited pathology department of CMRI & BM Birla introduced Hain Test for Mycobacterium, a rapid PCR-based test for detection of MTB or MOTT along with rapid sensitivity testing for key first and second line anti-tubercular drugs endorsed by the WHO.

The treatment of TB involves an uninterrupted administration of antibiotics for six months. With rapid molecular detection technologies, it is possible to have the diagnosis direct the treatment instead of the usual 'treatment first - confirm - later' done usually today - thereby saving money both community health.

The HAIN test is an RNA PCR based test which can be helpful in multiple ways. It gives rapid results - instead of waiting for six to eight weeks in conventional methodology, these tests take four to five hours. RNA PCR differentiates between live and dead bacteria which DNA PCR cannot. It allows screening of direct patient samples for both MTB and four clinically relevant MOTT species in the same test through RNA detection. Testing for two of the major first line drugs - Rifampicin and Isoniazid (MDR screening) from pulmonary smear positive samples OR positive cultures. Testing for Etambutol, Fluoroquinolones and Aminiglycosides / Cyclic peptides from pulmonary smear positive samples OR positive cultures. For detection and differentiation of MTB complex species from positive cultures and also detection and differentiation of atypical Mycobacteria species from positive cultures. It is a rug sensitivity testing endorsed by WHO and incorporated in Global Stop TB Programme.

Dr Andres Hillemann from HAIN Lifescience was present on the occasion to discuss about the importance and necessity of this high-end test which is being introduced to Eastern India for the first time. Rupak Barua, COO, CMRI, said, "It is imperative to introduce effective and inexpensive tools as soon as possible for diagnosing MDR-TB, and by extension, XDR-TB, before this epidemic called Tuberculosis reaches unfathomable proportions."

Said Dr TK Ghosh, Director, Lab Services, CMRI, "Modern laboratory diagnostic tests play a crucial role in the treatment of a disease. They help confirm or dispel the suspicion of a disease. These help identify disorders within the body before they affect your life, or verify disease pathogens and thus offer the possibility for targeted therapy. So it will be an important achievement in the therapeutic outcome of TB." Suyash Borar, COO, BM Birla Heart Research Centre, said "This test will reduce the cost of the treatment and will ultimately help the speedy recovery of the patient."

According to the World Health Organisation, two billion people or one-third of the world's total population are infected with the TB bacillus. Nearly nine million people develop TB disease each year, and an estimated 5,000 people die of the disease every day. Around 1.1 lakh Indians suffering from tuberculosis are developing drug resistance every year. Now it takes over three months to confirm drug resistant case. Initial results from field trials of these tests, called line probe assay tests conducted by MoH and WHO have shown them to have 97 per cent specificity and sensitivity. At present, only two per cent of MDR-TB cases worldwide are being diagnosed, mainly because of inadequate laboratory services. The probe assay test will increase that proportion at least seven-fold over the next four years, to 15 per cent globally.

EH News Bureau