African Giant Pouched Rats as TB Detectors

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TB in India: Challenges and Current Scenario

TB remains a major public health issue in India, contributing to 28% of global TB cases.
India sees ~5 lakh TB deaths annually, nearly one every minute.
The National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) aims for TB eradication by 2025, but progress is slow.
India TB Report 2024 shows a 16% decline in TB incidence and 18% drop in TB-related deaths since 2015.
Diagnostic challenges include difficulty in detecting early-stage TB, low bacillary load cases, and lack of accessible testing in rural areas.

Relevance :GS 2(Health)

APOPO, a Tanzania-based non-profit, trains HeroRATS to detect TB in sputum samples.
These rats have highly sensitive olfactory receptors, enabling them to detect TB missed by traditional methods.
Their use has improved TB diagnosis in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Ethiopia.
Training process:
- Starts at 2-3 months old, lasts 9 months.
- Rats are rewarded for correctly identifying TB samples.
- Speed: Can test 100 samples in 20 minutes, compared to 3-4 days with conventional microscopy.
A BMC Infectious Diseases study found that rats detected TB in children at twice the rate of conventional tests.
Rats identified six times more cases in low bacillary load samples.

Dogs: Used to detect Parkinson’s disease through their strong olfactory sense.
Ants: Found to detect cancer cells within three days using chemical cues (French study).
Honeybees: Can detect lung cancer with 88% accuracy based on synthetic biomarkers.

Indian TB specialists see potential in integrating HeroRATS as a secondary diagnostic tool.
Key benefits: Cost-effectiveness, speed, and improved case detection in high-burden areas.
Challenges:
- Requires NTEP approval and collaboration with APOPO.
- Feasibility needs assessment through phased trials in high-burden states.
Some states like Maharashtra and Chandigarh are open to pilot projects if the Central TB Division takes the initiative.

HeroRATS offer an innovative and promising approach to overcoming diagnostic challenges in TB detection.
If implemented in India, they could accelerate diagnosis, reduce transmission, and support TB elimination goals.
However, further feasibility studies and policy-level discussions are needed before nationwide adoption.