Quantum-dot fluorescent probes for early tuberculosis detection in sputum samples from Fergana Region
Abstract
Quantum-dot fluorescent probes offer an attractive platform for rapid, sensitive detection of tuberculosis in resourceconstrained settings. This study evaluates a novel fluorescence assay based on nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots for early diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients from the Fergana Region of Uzbekistan. Sputum samples from individuals with presumptive pulmonary tuberculosis were subjected in parallel to acid-fast microscopy, cartridge-based molecular testing and the quantum-dot assay, using mycobacterial culture as the reference standard. The quantum-dot assay relies on sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex deoxyribonucleic acid and fluorescence enhancement upon hybridization. Diagnostic performance was summarized using sensitivity, specificity and time to result, and compared across smear-positive and smear-negative subgroups. The quantum-dot assay demonstrated substantially improved detection among smear-negative culture-confirmed cases, while maintaining high specificity and a turnaround time below three hours. These findings support further clinical development of quantum-dot fluorescence as a complementary tool for tuberculosis control in high-burden regions.