A new diagnostic test for tuberculosis, called MiniDock MTB, was tested in Indonesia and showed good accuracy in adults. The study included 671 people with suspected TB at community health centers, a lung clinic, and a lung hospital in Bandung. Researchers compared the new test to Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra, liquid culture, and other reference standards.
In adults, MiniDock MTB correctly identified 86% of TB cases confirmed by liquid culture. However, when compared to a broader composite reference standard, sensitivity dropped to 56%. The test was highly specific, meaning it rarely gave false positives, with specificity ranging from 97% to 99%. Agreement with Xpert was 95%.
The test performed less well in children and in people with low amounts of TB bacteria. In children, positive agreement was only 25%, though this was based on very few cases. The study authors noted that small numbers of positive results in children limited their ability to draw firm conclusions.
This was an observational study, not a randomized trial, so results should be interpreted with caution. The test is not yet widely available, and more research is needed to understand its role in TB diagnosis. For now, it shows promise as a potential tool for adult TB detection, but it is not ready for routine use.
