Stool4TB aims to evaluate an innovative stool-based qPCR diagnostic platform (with the capacity to become a POC diagnostic tool) in the high TB and HIV burden settings of Mozambique, Eswatini and Uganda, under the hypothesis that it will narrow the extremely large TB case detection gap by improving TB confirmation rates in children and people living with HIV (PLHIV).
Who can participate
Age range
0 Years – 8 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. A child with ≥1 of the following criteria:
. Persistent unremitting cough (or cough significantly worse than usual in child with chronic lung disease including HIV-related) of \>2 weeks duration, unresponsive to a course of appropriate antibiotics (when clinically indicated)
. Poor growth documented over the preceding 3 months \[clear deviation from a previous growth trajectory and/or documented crossing of centile lines in the preceding 3 months and/or; weight-for-age, or weight-for-height Z-score of ≤2 in the absence of information on previous/recent growth trajectory AND not responding to nutritional rehabilitation (or to antiretroviral therapy if HIV-infected)\]
. Persistent unexplained lethargy or reduced playfulness/activity reported by the caregiver.
. Persistent (\>1w) unexplained fever (\>38C), reported by a guardian or objectively recorded at least once;
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
. In infants 0-60 days, also: unresponsive neonatal pneumonia or unexplained hepatosplenomegaly OR sepsis-like illness (all other more common causes excluded and/or not responding to appropriate therapy/ broad-spectrum antibiotics/antivirals).
. TB exposure. Either: i) Documented/Reported exposure to a known TB source case (regardless of smear status) in previous 12months OR ii) immunological evidence: positive IGRA or positive TST (defined as \>5mm in HIV infected or severely malnourished, \>10 otherwise)