Novel laboratory diagnostic tests for tuberculosis and their potential role in an integrated and tiered laboratory network.

Lack of laboratory capacity in high-burden countries presents a significant barrier in providing diagnosis and treatment to patients infected with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria. Strengthening laboratory services in these settings via implementation of novel diagnostic tests is especially indispensable to battle against TB and MDR/XDR-TB. Novel TB diagnostic assays have to be applicable to field conditions, affordable and accessible to all patients at different levels of the tiered laboratory network. A functional laboratory network should be based on well-developed diagnostic platforms that can provide not only timely and adequate diagnosis but are simple to use, and easy to implement and sustain. The article is overviewing the latest developments of TB laboratory diagnostics such as smear microscopy, rapid growth detection and susceptibility testing and rapid molecular testing with focus on performance and applicability to diagnostic needs at different levels of the diagnostic network.