Evaluation of variants of carbol fuchsin solution to stain acid-fast bacilli in-situ by the pot method

Evaluation of phenol ammonium sulfate basic fuchsin and auramine O staining by pot technique for the detection of acid-fast bacilli among patients suspected of pulmonary tuberculosis

Introduction and Aim: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health concern with its high incidence and mortality. In developing countries, smear microscopy continues to be the primary diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of TB. Sputum samples processing under resource-limited settings could be hazardous, which urges  safe and efficient smear microscopy techniques. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of two different pot methods: Phenol ammonium sulfate (PhAS) auramine O and PhAS basic fuchsin in comparison to the conventional Auramine O method.  Materials and Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Microbiology with 74 sputum samples. All sputum samples were processed using the Auramine O method PhAS auramine O and PhAS basic fuchsin staining methods. Microsoft Office Excel (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA) was used to maintain and analyze all the data. Results: A total of 8 (10.7%) samples were positive for AFB and 67 (89.3%) samples were negative, according to routine auramine O method and pot methods. Pot methods showed a 100% sensitivity and specificity compared to the conventional Auramine O method. In terms of sputum smear grading, the direct smear using auramine O showed better results compared to pot methods. Conclusion: Pot methods like PhAS basic fuchsin and PhAS auramine O are efficient to detect AFB in sputum smears by reducing the risk of laboratory-acquired infections.

Sensor-as-a-Service: Convergence of Sensor Analytic Point Solutions (SNAPS) and Pay-A-Penny-Per-Use (PAPPU) Paradigm as a Catalyst for Democratization of Healthcare in Underserved Communities

In this manuscript, we discuss relevant socioeconomic factors for developing and implementing sensor analytic point solutions (SNAPS) as point-of-care tools to serve impoverished communities. The distinct economic, environmental, cultural, and ethical paradigms that affect economically disadvantaged users add complexity to the process of technology development and deployment beyond the science and engineering issues. We begin by contextualizing the environmental burden of disease in select low-income regions around the world, including environmental hazards at work, home, and the broader community environment, where SNAPS may be helpful in the prevention and mitigation of human exposure to harmful biological vectors and chemical agents. We offer examples of SNAPS designed for economically disadvantaged users, specifically for supporting decision-making in cases of tuberculosis (TB) infection and mercury exposure. We follow-up by discussing the economic challenges that are involved in the phased implementation of diagnostic tools in low-income markets and describe a micropayment-based systems-as-a-service approach (pay-a-penny-per-use—PAPPU), which may be catalytic for the adoption of low-end, low-margin, low-research, and the development SNAPS. Finally, we provide some insights into the social and ethical considerations for the assimilation of SNAPS to improve health outcomes in marginalized communities.

Nanoparticle-Based Biosensing Assay for Universally Accessible Low-Cost TB Detection with Comparable Sensitivity as Culture

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death globally, surpassing HIV. Furthermore, multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant TB have become global public health threats. Care of TB patients starts with quality, accessible, and affordable diagnosis. The study presents a novel technique called nanoparticle-based colorimetric biosensing assay (NCBA) based on the principles of magnetically activated cell enrichment. A total of 1108 sputum samples were subjected to sputum smear microscopy (SSM), NCBA, and standard culture. SSM and NCBA were completed in 20 min; culture was completed in 8 weeks. Results show that NCBA has matching sensitivity of 100.0% and specificity of 99.7% compared to the gold standard culture method at a cost of $0.50/test based on Peruvian conditions. Sputum smear microscopy has 63.87% sensitivity compared to culture. NCBA has the potential of being used in local health clinics as it only requires a microscope that is widely available in many rural areas. Because NCBA could detect low levels of bacterial load comparable to culture, it could be used for rapid and early TB-onset detection. The gain in time is critical as TB is airborne and highly infectious, minimizing contact exposure. Early detection could lead to early treatment, while the patient’s immune system is still high. The low cost makes NCBA affordable and accessible to those who need them the most.