ReviewJournal of clinical tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases2026
Closing gaps through innovation in the tuberculosis pathology value chain.
Review in Journal of clinical tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Despite being preventable and curable, tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent globally. In 2024, an estimated 10.7 million people developed TB, yet only 8.3 million were diagnosed, reflecting significant diagnostic gaps. These "missing millions" underscore systemic weaknesses within the TB pathology value chain, defined here as the sequence of processes from patient identification and specimen collection through testing, result reporting, linkage to treatment and monitoring. This review highlights key challenges and opportunities across each step of this chain, with a focus on diagnostic bottlenecks and innovations to improve accessibility, efficiency, and patient-centred care. Sputum remains the primary diagnostic specimen, but it presents barriers for individuals unable to expectorate, such as children and people with HIV. Additional specimens, including stool (for adults), urine (for molecular testing), blood, breath, saliva and oral rinse, show promise, but require further validation. Laboratory constraints, particularly in transport logistics and result turnaround times, contribute to diagnostic delays and patient attrition. While molecular tests and next-generation sequencing have improved TB detection and drug resistance profiling, their decentralization remains limited by infrastructural and financial barriers. Digital tools for result reporting and patient tracking show promise but need broader integration. Near point-of-care technologies and novel diagnostics tailored to regional needs can close critical gaps, reduce loss to follow-up, and support earlier treatment initiation. Ultimately, strengthening the TB diagnostic value chain requires coordinated investments, innovative technologies, and policy frameworks that support equitable access to timely diagnosis and care, particularly in high-burden settings.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.