Diagnostic Innovations for Pediatric Tuberculosis in Bolivia

Launched by TULANE UNIVERSITY · Oct 27, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, called "Diagnostic Innovations for Pediatric Tuberculosis in Bolivia," is focused on improving the way tuberculosis (TB) is diagnosed in children. Tuberculosis can be challenging to detect, especially in young kids, due to limitations in current testing methods. The research team, which includes experts from several universities and organizations, is testing a new approach that uses a special technology called CRISPR to find TB DNA in the blood. They aim to enroll 200 children suspected of having TB, along with 200 healthy children, to see if this new test can help identify TB cases more accurately, especially in settings where resources are limited.

To be eligible for the trial, children must show symptoms of respiratory illness and have a suspicion of TB based on guidelines from Bolivia's health ministry. However, those who have received TB treatment in the past year, are currently on TB prevention medication, weigh less than 2.5 kg, or have tested positive for COVID-19 won't be included. Participants will have their blood tested for TB DNA and may undergo imaging tests to help diagnose the disease. This study hopes to improve TB detection in children, particularly in low-resource areas, making it easier for healthcare providers to diagnose and treat pediatric TB effectively.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Children presenting for evaluation for symptomatic respiratory disease and suspicion of tuberculosis will be eligible for enrollment (inclusion criteria based on Bolivian Ministry of Health guidelines for suspect cases of tuberculosis in children
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • prior treatment for TB within the past year,
• • current treatment for prevention of TB,
• • weight \< 2.5 kg., or
• • clinical instability,
• • positive COVID-19 diagnostic test