Tuberculosis Testing
Reimagined for the Caribbean
R-Biopharm IP-10 assays deliver higher sensitivity than QuantiFERON in the populations that matter most: HIV co-infected, immunocompromised, and high-incidence communities across all 33 Caribbean territories.
The only viable alternative to QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus for Ministries of Health, PAHO programs, and public health laboratories seeking improved TB detection.
Why the Caribbean Needs Better TB Testing
QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus has been the standard for two decades. But its IFN-γ biomarker misses too many cases in the populations the Caribbean serves most.
Immigration Screening
Caribbean nations receive migrants from TB-endemic countries (Haiti, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Suriname). Latent TB screening at entry is mandated by many MOH programs.
HIV Co-Infection
Caribbean has the second-highest HIV prevalence globally after Sub-Saharan Africa. HIV+ individuals are 15–22x more likely to develop active TB. IP-10 outperforms IFN-γ in this critical population.
Healthcare Worker Screening
Annual occupational health TB screening for hospital staff, lab workers, and prison health personnel. High-volume repeat testing ideal for RIDASCREEN ELISA automation.
PAHO/WHO End TB Strategy
PAHO supports Caribbean nations in TB elimination. Improved diagnostics are a core pillar. R-Biopharm IP-10 assays align with WHO recommendations for alternative IGRAs.
Contact Tracing
When active TB cases are identified, rapid contact tracing requires sensitive, available testing. RIDA QUICK TB enables same-day screening at community health centers.
Pre-Biologic Screening
Patients starting TNF-α inhibitors, immunosuppressants, or dialysis must be screened for latent TB. Growing rheumatology and nephrology services across Caribbean drive demand.
Competitive Advantages Over QuantiFERON
R-Biopharm IP-10 technology addresses the fundamental limitations of IFN-γ based IGRAs.
Superior Sensitivity
CE IVDR multicentric study: RIDASCREEN TB detects 85.2% of active TB cases vs QuantiFERON’s 71.7%. In high-incidence populations with HIV co-infection, 91.4% vs 74.3%.
Novel IP-10 Biomarker
IP-10 (CXCL10) is released at 100x the concentration of IFN-γ, enabling detection in immunocompromised patients where traditional IGRAs fail. Over 300 peer-reviewed publications.
Two Testing Formats
RIDASCREEN TB ELISA for reference labs processing 28+ patients per plate. RIDA QUICK TB lateral flow + Q3 reader for clinics, border health, and field screening with same-day results.
Immunocompromised Performance
IP-10 is not restricted to T-cells — produced by monocytes, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. Maintains sensitivity in HIV+, transplant, and biologic-treated patients where QuantiFERON returns indeterminate.
WHO-Aligned
Meets WHO public call requirements for alternative IGRA assays for TB infection diagnosis. CE IVDR certified. Directly supports PAHO/WHO End TB Strategy targets for Caribbean elimination.
Caribbean-Ready Logistics
RIDA TB Tubes ship ambient. RIDASCREEN kits 2–8°C with long shelf life. No complex cold chain requirements. Caribbean Diagnostics provides in-territory training, installation, and ongoing support.
Head-to-Head Performance
CE IVDR multicentric study across 6 German centers. 133 culture-confirmed active TB, 195 negative controls. South African cohort: 36 active TB patients, 15 HIV+.
| Metric | RIDASCREEN TBR-Biopharm (ELISA) | RIDA QUICK TBR-Biopharm (Rapid) | QuantiFERON-TBQiagen (ELISA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity (Active TB) | 85.2% | 80.0% | 71.7% |
| Specificity | 90.3% | 91.3% | 94.7% |
| Sensitivity (High-Incidence / HIV+) | 91.4% | 85.3% | 74.3% |
| Latent TB Detection (small cohort) | 6/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Positive Agreement with QFT | 96.9% | 92.1% | — |
| Biomarker | IP-10 | IP-10 | IFN-γ |
| Format | ELISA (96-well) | Lateral Flow | ELISA (96-well) |
TB Product Portfolio
A complete three-component system: blood collection tubes, ELISA or rapid detection, and automated reader. Two workflows for every lab size.
RIDA TB Tubes
Pre-AnalyticsThree-tube blood collection system for IP-10 induction. Negative Control, TB-specific Test Tube (M. tuberculosis antigens), and Positive Control. Draw 1 mL blood per tube, incubate 16–24h at 37°C, collect plasma. Compatible with both RIDASCREEN and RIDA QUICK downstream detection.
- 3 tubes per patient (N/T/P)
- 1 mL blood per tube
- 16–24h incubation at 37°C
- Ambient shipping
RIDASCREEN TB (ELISA)
ELISA — IP-10 DetectionQuantitative ELISA for IP-10 measurement in stimulated plasma. 96-well microplate format processes 28 patients per plate (3 wells each: N/T/P). Automated on DSX, Agility, or any open ELISA platform. Sensitivity 85.2%, specificity 90.3% in CE IVDR multicentric validation.
- 28 patients per 96-well plate
- 85.2% sensitivity (active TB)
- 90.3% specificity
- Automated ELISA compatible
RIDA QUICK TB (Lateral Flow)
Rapid Test — IP-10 DetectionLateral flow cassette for IP-10 detection in stimulated plasma. One cassette per sample (3 cassettes per patient: N/T/P). Results read by RIDA Q3 reader for objective, documented analysis. Ideal for clinics, border health stations, and decentralized testing. Sensitivity 80.0%, specificity 91.3%.
- Lateral flow rapid format
- 80.0% sensitivity (active TB)
- 91.3% specificity
- RIDA Q3 reader quantification
RIDA Q3 Reader
InstrumentationCompact lateral flow reader with integrated software for RIDA QUICK TB cassette analysis. Automated measurement, calculation, and result documentation. Quality-assured, audit-ready results with patient data management.
- Automated LF reading
- Integrated result calculation
- Audit-ready documentation
- Compact benchtop format
Testing Workflow
Same blood draw, same tubes — choose ELISA for volume or rapid for speed.
Blood Draw
Draw 1 mL into each of 3 RIDA TB Tubes (N / T / P)
Incubation
Incubate tubes 16–24h at 37°C for IP-10 induction
Plasma Collection
Centrifuge and harvest stimulated plasma
IP-10 Detection
RIDASCREEN ELISA (28 pts/plate) or RIDA QUICK lateral flow
Both workflows use the same RIDA TB Tubes — choose your detection method based on lab size and throughput needs.
Ministry of Health & PAHO Procurement
Caribbean Diagnostics supports national TB programs with island-wide deployment, training, and ongoing technical support.
For Ministries of Health
- National program pricing for all 33 Caribbean territories
- WHO/PAHO-aligned procurement documentation
- In-territory installation and operator training
- Cold chain logistics to any Caribbean island
- Annual occupational health screening programs
- Immigration and border health station deployment
- Technical support and quality assurance
- RIDASCREEN + RIDA QUICK combination for central lab + satellite clinics
Target Institutions
Ready to Upgrade Your TB Program?
Contact Caribbean Diagnostics for Ministry of Health pricing, PAHO procurement support, and technical evaluation kits. We deploy across all 33 Caribbean territories.