From the study of research in Africa, known that rats can detect a deadly disease in humans

News24xx.com -  From a study that inspired by anecdotal reports, its known that rats can detect whether children have tuberculosis (TB).

TB is a deadly infectious disease which generally affects the lungs. Tuberculosis is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization and also killing 1.7 million people in 2016. 

According to a new study published in the journal Pediatric Research that led by Georgies Mgode from the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania, the used of rat are more effective than commonly used tests.

With use samples of saliva and mucus from 982 children under five infected with the disease, the research now  that TB patients give off a specific odor.

Before did the research,  the 982 children had already been given standard smear tests at clinics in the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam.

For that study, the researchers used African giant rats, the species where African giant pouched rats were taught to pick up the scent of the tuberculosis bacterium using a similar technique to how rats are taught to trained to detect the odors released by landmines. 

According to Mgode, he said "The rats' abilities are promising because current methods for detecting TB are far from perfect, especially in less-affluent nations in  Africa and Southeast Asia where the disease is rife."

Before, from the result of the smear tests showed that 34 children had TB. But, when the same samples were given to the rats, a further 57 cases were found. 

Then, the researchers made extra cases and confirmed with a more advanced fluorescence microscope test and the 57 cases of TB that found by rats are true and relevant.

 
Now, the researchers build a new study that conducted in Tanzania and Mozambique, because more than 95% of deaths by TB occur in low and middle-income countries, such as in Africa. 

 

 

 

 

 

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