Browsing by Author "Mahoney, A"

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    APOPO’s tuberculosis research agenda: achievements, challenges and prospects
    (2012-04) Beyene, N; Mahoney, A; Cox, C; Weetjens, B; Making, G; Mgode, G; Durgin, A; Kuipers, D; Jubitana, M; Egwaga, S; Kamala, D; Lwila, F; Mfinanga, S; Kahwa, A; Machangu, R; Kazwala, R; Reither, K; Kaufmann, S; Poling, A
    This article describes Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling (APOPO) recent use of specially trained African giant pouched rats as detectors of pulmonary tuberculosis in people living in Tanzania. It summarizes the achievements and challenges encountered over the years and outlines future prospects. Since 2008, second-line screening by the rats has identified more than 2000 tuberculosis-positive patients who were missed by microscopy at Direct Observation of Treatment – Short Course centres in Tanzania. Moreover, data that are reviewed herein have been collected with respect to the rats’ sensitivity and specificity in detecting tuberculosis. Findings strongly suggest that scent-detecting rats offer a quick and practical tool for detecting pulmonary tuberculosis and within the year APOPO’s tuberculosis-detection project will be extended to Mozambique. As part of its local capacity building effort, APOPO hires and trains Tanzanians to play many important roles in its TB detection project and provides research and training opportunities for Tanzanian students.
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    Using giant african pouched rats to detect human tuberculosis: a review
    (2015) Poling, A; Mahoney, A; Beyene, N; Mgode, G.; Weetjens, B; Cox, c; Durgin2, A
    Despite its characteristically low sensitivity, sputum smear microscopy remains the standard for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in resource-poor countries. In an attempt to develop an alternative or adjunct to microscopy, researchers have recently examined the ability of pouched rats to detect TB-positive human sputum samples and the microbiological variables that affect their detection. Ten published studies, reviewed herein, suggest that the rats are able to detect the specific odor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes TB, and can substantially increase new-case detections when used for second-line TB screening following microscopy. Further research is needed to ascertain the rats' ability to detect TB in children and in HIV-positive patients, to detect TB when used for first-line screening, and to be useful in broad-scale applications where costeffectiveness is a major consideration.