TY - JOUR T1 - Pouched rats as detectors of tuberculosis: comparison to concentrated smear microscopy JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J SP - 579 LP - 582 DO - 10.1183/13993003.00264-2016 VL - 48 IS - 2 AU - Timothy L. Edwards AU - Emilio Valverde AU - Christiaan Mulder AU - Christophe Cox AU - Alan Poling Y1 - 2016/08/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/2/579.abstract N2 - In 2014, 1.5 million people died of tuberculosis (TB), a disease that can be cured in nearly every case if detected in time. Rapid and accurate detection of TB is a crucial component of the World Health Organization's 2016–2035 End TB Strategy [1]. Pouched rats, Cricetomys ansorgei (previously called Cricetomys gambianus [2]), are able to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis by sniffing sputum samples [3]. Since 2007, they have been used for second-line screening of sputum samples previously evaluated by Ziehl–Neelsen microscopy (ZN) at clinics in Tanzania. Use of the rats increases new case detections by ∼40% [3].Pouched rats find 60% of TB patients that are missed by clinics but identifiable with concentrated smear microscopy http://ow.ly/jnUr300i2I7We would like to thank the Mozambican National Tuberculosis Programme, the National Institute of Health and the Maputo City Health Directorate for facilitating access to public clinics in Maputo (Mozambique). ER -