The World Health Organization (WHO) has released updated guidelines for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis in its third edition of the “Consolidated guidelines on tuberculosis. Module 3: Diagnosis- Rapid diagnostics for tuberculosis detection.” These guidelines include recommendations on utilizing targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) tests for diagnosing drug-resistant TB. NGS tests provide a cutting-edge method for swiftly identifying resistance to newer TB medications.
In addition to the guidelines, WHO has created an operational handbook for laboratory workers, doctors, and related healthcare professionals, along with health ministries and technical partners. This handbook offers step-by-step instructions on implementing evidence-based recommendations. It includes the latest information on specific NGS tests. It outlines the WHO’s recommended tests for quickly diagnosing TB based on bacteria, including instructions for the tests, sample algorithms, and the procedures for setting up and expanding new tests to detect TB and resistance to anti-TB medications.
WHO has introduced a new TB sequencing portal alongside the new guidance, featuring over 56,000 sequences. This portal, created in collaboration with FIND and Unitaid, serves as a comprehensive resource for sequencing and phenotyping information related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The portal incorporates a dashboard that visualizes data utilized in the WHO mutation catalogue released in November 2023. This portal will significantly enhance our collective knowledge about mutations in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome and their connection to drug resistance.
