Scientists Detect Antibiotics in Fingerprints, Enhancing Fight Against Drug-Resistant TB
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A fingerprint may soon be all a doctor needs to check whether tuberculosis patients are taking their antibiotics, according to a new study conducted by scientists from the University of Surrey and published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents.
Tuberculosis (TB) is amongst the leading causes of death from an infectious agent, with an estimated 1.3 million deaths worldwide.
Drug-susceptible (DS) TB is curable, but around 50% of patients do not fully adhere to their lengthy antibiotic regimens, leading to treatment failure, increased relapse risk, and the development of drug-resistant TB, which is harder and costlier to treat with lower survival rates.
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), which measures drug levels to adjust dosing, is recommended in TB care. While traditionally done with serum or plasma, less invasive methods like dried blood spots, saliva, and now finger sweat are being explored. Finger sweat collection is quick, easy, non-biohazardous, and requires no specialist training, making it suitable for any location. This method could reduce clinic burdens, improve patient experiences, and enhance treatment adherence in TB care.
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