New TBC Study: SENSE-TB Saliva Evaluation for Non-sputum Sampling in Ethiopian TB

During Prof. Oettes stay in Ethiopia, a new collaborative research project on non-invasive tuberculosis diagnostics was developed. The study will evaluate the diagnostic performance and feasibility of Salivette®-based saliva sampling, direct saliva testing, and urine LAM testing for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in adults at Asella Teaching and Referral Hospital. The project aims to improve access to rapid and patient-friendly TB diagnostics in resource-limited settings while strengthening local research capacity. 

The project received generous support from Sarstedt, which donated all required Salivette® collection devices free of charge and provided an additional research grant of €2,500 to support study implementation. This contribution enables the initiation of the pilot study and represents an important investment in innovative tuberculosis research and sustainable diagnostic capacity building in Ethiopia. The study will be performed with the support of Leonie Gunasekara as a doctoral candidate.