Rational return to non-sputum screening for tuberculosis: inherent limitations and reconsideration of the position of tongue swabs

doi:10.19982/j.issn.1000-6621.20260110

Abstract

Abstract:

As a non-sputum testing method, tongue swab detection is expected to break through bottlenecks in large-scale tuberculosis screening. Nevertheless, relevant current studies differ markedly in research scenarios: most focus on evaluating its auxiliary diagnostic performance among clinically suspected patients, while validation data for community population screening remain scarce, with findings from several existing studies failing to meet WHO-recommended screening benchmarks. Restricted by the biological properties of tongue swabs, this technique struggles to satisfy the high-sensitivity requirements for mass population screening. Accordingly, future research shall adjust developmental priorities and explore novel high-sensitivity screening assays based on host non-specific biomarkers alongside pathogen-specific biomarker detection.

Key words: Tuberculosis, Tongue swab, Screening, Editorial

CLC Number:

R446

Gao Qian. Rational return to non-sputum screening for tuberculosis: inherent limitations and reconsideration of the position of tongue swabs[J]. Chinese Journal of Antituberculosis, 2026, 48(8): 1120-1123. doi: 10.19982/j.issn.1000-6621.20260110

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