Integrating plasma proteomics to identify tuberculosis-specific diagnostic biomarkers

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a disease of global significance, causing 1.3 million deaths and 10.6 million cases of active disease worldwide each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified a global case detection gap of 3.1 million patients with undiagnosed cases predominantly occurring in high-TB-burden countries. Diagnostic delays in low- and middle-income settings are often many months and are associated with an increased risk of cavitary disease and sputum smear positivity, reflecting high infectiousness. TB control strategies are limited by currently available diagnostic, and diagnostic biomarkers capable of identifying people with infectious TB in high-burden settings, ideally at the point of care and not requiring sputum expectoration, are urgently needed. Using complementary proteomic approaches, including mass spectrometry and proximity extension assay, along with cross-disciplinary research and international collaboration, we have identified protein biomarkers with high TB-specificity and demonstrated the diagnostic performance of a six-protein diagnostic panel with the potential to be developed into a near-patient screening test.

 

Learning Objectives