A new automated blood test can identify tuberculosis infection in just 19 minutes, roughly half the time of current methods, offering laboratories a faster way to screen for the disease and support global elimination efforts. The Elecsys IGRA TB test, which received regulatory approval from the European Union on July 9, 2026, represents a significant advancement in how healthcare systems can detect latent tuberculosis infection.

Why Does Speed Matter in Tuberculosis Testing?

Tuberculosis remains one of the world's most pressing public health challenges. An estimated 10.7 million people fell ill with the disease in 2024, and 1.23 million lost their lives. What makes the disease particularly difficult to control is that roughly one-quarter of the global population may have been infected with the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, yet many don't know it because the infection lies dormant without causing symptoms.

The problem is significant: between 5 and 10 percent of people with latent tuberculosis infection will eventually develop active disease during their lifetime. Identifying who carries the infection is critical to breaking the cycle of disease progression and transmission. The faster a test can deliver results, the sooner healthcare providers can offer preventive treatment to high-risk individuals and prevent severe complications.

The World Health Organization has set ambitious targets to decrease tuberculosis deaths by 90 percent and new cases by 80 percent by 2030. Expanding access to reliable, efficient diagnostics is essential to meeting these goals, particularly in regions with limited laboratory resources.

How Does the New Test Work and What Makes It Different?

The Elecsys IGRA TB test is an Interferon Gamma Release Assay, a blood-based method that detects immune responses to tuberculosis bacteria. Unlike older tuberculin skin tests, which require a patient to return for a second visit to have results read, blood tests like this one require only a single patient visit and don't depend on specialized healthcare staff to interpret results.

The test runs on Roche's cobas immunoassay systems, which are already widely available in laboratories worldwide. This means hospitals and diagnostic centers don't need to purchase entirely new equipment to adopt the test. The system automates much of the workflow, reducing reliance on manual procedures that are labor-intensive and prone to error.

• Processing Speed: The assay itself takes just 19 minutes per patient, compared to standard methods that take roughly 40 minutes, cutting processing time in half
• Full Results Timeline: Complete results are available in under 24 hours, enabling faster clinical decision-making for preventive treatment
• Accuracy: In clinical trials across multiple regions, the test achieved 91.12 percent positive percent agreement and 94.57 percent negative percent agreement when compared to standard methods, demonstrating highly reliable performance
• BCG Vaccine Compatibility: Unlike skin tests, the blood test shows minimal interference from Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccinations, which are widely used globally, making it more reliable in vaccinated populations

The test also includes a novel digital tool that fully automates result calculation, interpretation, and reporting, which eliminates manual steps and reduces the risk of human error.

How Can Laboratories Implement This Test?

One of the biggest barriers to tuberculosis testing in many parts of the world is that traditional methods require significant laboratory resources and skilled personnel. The new test addresses this by integrating with existing laboratory infrastructure and reducing manual workload.

Laboratories can use the Elecsys IGRA TB test alongside Roche's existing molecular tests for active tuberculosis disease, creating an integrated solution for managing both latent and active infection. The test is designed to work with third-party automated liquid handlers for front-end sample preparation, and Roche has announced plans to introduce fully integrated, proprietary front-end automation in the future.

"Addressing latent tuberculosis is critical to reducing the global health burden of this devastating disease, and that begins with better, more accessible testing. The Elecsys IGRA TB test brings an automated solution for latent TB to Roche's industry-leading immunoassay platforms, which will enable screening programs and drive significant progress toward achieving global TB elimination targets," said Matt Sause, CEO of Roche Diagnostics.

Matt Sause, CEO of Roche Diagnostics

What Does This Mean for Global Health?

The approval of this test comes at a critical moment. Traditional IGRA testing has often involved labor-intensive workflows and manual procedures that significantly burden laboratory resources, particularly in low-income countries where tuberculosis is most prevalent. These demanding processes not only increase the risk of errors but also create barriers for laboratories attempting to implement more reliable blood-based testing methods or scale their operations to meet rising demand.

By automating the testing process and reducing turnaround time, the Elecsys IGRA TB test could help more laboratories, especially in resource-limited settings, identify people with latent tuberculosis infection. This is crucial because preventive treatment for latent infection is highly effective at preventing progression to active disease, but it only works if people are identified and treated before symptoms develop.

The test's regulatory approval in Europe is the first step toward broader global availability. As more regions adopt this technology, it could accelerate progress toward the World Health Organization's ambitious goal of eliminating tuberculosis as a public health threat by 2030.