WHO launches updated consolidated guidelines for tuberculosis diagnosis

The updated guidelines represent an important step forward in making TB diagnosis more accessible, people-centred and efficient. Building on the previous edition published in 2025, they consolidate WHO's recommendations on TB diagnosis and incorporate three important innovations, first announced in March 2026, that have the potential to transform how and where TB testing is delivered, including:

• a new class of near-point-of-care nucleic acid amplification tests (NPOC-NAATs) for the initial detection of TB without rifampicin resistance at peripheral levels of the health system;
• tongue swabs as new, readily available and easy-to-collect specimens for use with NPOC-NAATs and low-complexity automated NAATs (LC-aNAATs) for the initial detection of TB with and without rifampicin resistance among adults and adolescents that are unable to produce sputum; and
• pooling of sputa as a diagnostic strategy for the initial detection of TB and rifampicin resistance using LC-aNAATs to improve turnaround times and costs when resources are constrained.

The second edition builds on the advance publication of the recommendations in March 2026 and provides comprehensive evidence underpinning the updated guidance. This includes detailed evidence summaries, systematic review reports and summaries of the deliberations of the 2025 Guideline Development Group, ensuring transparency and supporting evidence-informed decision-making by countries and implementing partners.

“Advances in diagnostic technologies are creating new opportunities to bring testing closer to people and communities. These updated WHO guidelines provide countries with the evidence and recommendations needed to translate innovation into wider access to quality-assured diagnostic services”, said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of Department for HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections. “Our priority must now be to ensure that these advances reach everyone who needs them, particularly the most vulnerable, as we accelerate progress towards ending TB."

To further support countries in navigating an expanding landscape of TB diagnostic technologies, WHO is also introducing, for the first time, a living online resource accompanying the consolidated guidelines.

In addition, reflecting advances in TB diagnostic policy guidance and the growing role of WHO prequalification in determining the eligibility of TB diagnostics for WHO endorsement, the updated consolidated guidelines are accompanied, for the first time, by a new living website.

This resource presents WHO-recommended TB diagnostic classes and the products within each class for the diagnosis of TB, drug-resistant TB and TB infection, together with their respective WHO prequalification status. The product list will be regularly reviewed and updated as the TB diagnostics market continues to evolve and additional tests achieve WHO prequalification listing. Supporting operational guidance for the WHO consolidated guidelines on tuberculosis. Module 3: Diagnosis. Second edition is also under development and will be released in the coming months.