New York residents may face tuberculosis testing for various reasons, including preparing to work in food service or in education settings. However, there can be challenges when an individual has been vaccinated for TB because a traditional skin test could produce a positive result. Additionally, current methods for testing can fail to distinguish active tuberculosis from latent cases. A test that has been developed in the Khatri lab at Stanford University may provide an avenue for better accuracy.

When a skin test for TB is not enough, there is often a need for sputum samples to be collected. However, some patients have trouble producing the quantity of sputum needed. Further, the ability to produce sufficient sputum can decline as the disease is treated. The Khatri test can be completed with a simple blood sample. Further, this test can identify varying strains of TB. It is also able to identify whether TB is active or latent. Negative test results are correct in 99 percent of cases. In children, the test has an 86 percent accuracy rate for those with active TB. This exceeds the 66 percent rate desired by the World Health Organization.

Although tuberculosis may not be as common as it once was in the U.S., world travel brings many individuals from nations that still struggle with TB into contact with Americans. Efficient testing can provide faster results for those who demonstrate possible TB symptoms. This may also be an effective way to reduce cases of a misdiagnosis of the disease.

Some diseases can be very elusive as a physician evaluates the symptoms. However, a physician could be held financially responsible in a medical malpractice lawsuit for the resulting harm if there are clear signs of medical symptoms that were ignored.