African Giant Pouched Rats: A Novel Approach to TB Diagnosis
- February 28, 2025
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
No Comments
African Giant Pouched Rats: A Novel Approach to TB Diagnosis
Sub :Sci
Sec :Health
Why in News
- A non-profit organization, APOPO, based in Tanzania, has successfully trained African giant pouched rats to detect tuberculosis (TB) as a secondary diagnostic tool. Recent studies indicate that these rats can detect TB twice as effectively as conventional testing methods, particularly in children.
Global and Indian TB Burden:
- Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the deadliest infectious diseases globally, with over 10 million new cases annually.
- India accounts for 28% of global TB cases.
- Around 5 lakh deaths occur due to TB in India each year, equating to one death per minute.
- Refer: About Tuberculosis (TB)
Key challenges in TB detection:
- Difficulty in diagnosing TB in early stages and in children.
- Low bacillary loads (M. tuberculosis concentration in sputum) remain undetected.
- Reluctance for secondary testing after an initial negative result.
- Lack of accessible diagnostic facilities in rural and remote areas.
- High cost of travel despite free treatment.
The Role of African Giant Pouched Rats in TB Detection:
- APOPO, a Tanzanian non-profit, trains African giant pouched rats (nicknamed HeroRATS) to detect TB in sputum samples.
- These rats possess highly sensitive olfactory receptors, allowing them to sniff out TB with remarkable accuracy.
- Training Process of HeroRATS: The rats are bred and trained at a specialized facility starting at 2-3 months old.
- Identified samples undergo further confirmation using Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) microscopy and fluorescent microscopy.
Disease Detection by Animals:
- Dogs: Have 125-300 million olfactory receptors and a Jacobson’s organ to detect pheromones and chemical signals. Used for detecting Parkinson’s disease and other illnesses.
- Ants: Quick learners and cost-effective for cancer detection. A French study (Science Direct) found ants detected cancer cells within three days using chemical cues and sugar rewards.
- Honeybees:Have highly sensitive olfactory lobes.Research from Michigan State University found they can detect lung cancer biomarkers with 88% accuracy.Can distinguish between small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Olfactory Receptors:
- Olfactory receptors are specialized protein molecules found in the sensory neurons of the nose.
- They detect and respond to chemical odorants in the air, enabling the sense of smell.
- These receptors are part of the olfactory system and are linked to the brain’s olfactory bulb.
- Humans have around 400 types of olfactory receptors, while animals like dogs have up to 300 million.
African Giant Pouched Rats (HeroRATS):
- Scientific Name: Cricetomys ansorgei
- Native to sub-Saharan Africa.
- Large-sized rodents with highly developed olfactory senses.
- Used for detecting landmines in war-affected regions.
- Ongoing research on their potential for detecting drug-resistant TB.