Menu

1 / 2

A $4 tongue swab test detects tuberculosis within 30 minutes

#sciencenews#test#tongue#phlegm#disease
Reading 0:00
15s threshold

The portable test could help millions with limited access to health care

Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria (illustrated) causes tuberculosis. A new tongue swab test identifies an active infection in just 30 minutes with high accuracy, enhancing the chances of timely treatment.

" data-large-file="https://www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/051426_SM_tuberculosistest_main.jpg?w=800">

Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria (illustrated) causes tuberculosis. A new tongue swab test identifies an active infection in just 30 minutes with high accuracy, enhancing the chances of timely treatment.

KATERYNA KON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images

This is a human-written story voiced by AI. Got feedback? Take our survey .…

Continue reading — create a free account

Join HashtagPLUS to read full articles, follow hashtags, vote, and join the conversation.