Your doctor can order this test to find out if you have tuberculosis (TB) or another type of bacterial infection. TB was very common at one time. However, it’s now rare in the United States. According ...

Early and accurate detection is critical for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and providing appropriate care for patients. Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs, which require inserting a long shaft into the ...

Current TB tests rely on sputum, mucus collected from the lungs and lower respiratory system. While rich in TB bacteria required for testing, collecting sputum is difficult, making it inefficient for ...

In a meta-analysis, researchers found that sputum was more accurate than nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swabs. The study also shows early testing increased rates of COVID-19 diagnosis. Early and ...

This study was conducted in a microwave popcorn plant in November 2001. Of 149 current workers, 140 participated in the survey. Of the 140 participants, 32 were excluded from sputum induction: 27 ...