The Pasteur Center of Cameroon (CPC) is taking a new step in the fight against tuberculosis by experimenting with innovative diagnostic methods. On February 5, 2026, partners involved in the LAM4RO project (LipoArabinoMannan for Operational Research) met in the institution’s conference room to set the course for the success of this scientific initiative, which explores diagnostic approaches based on the analysis of exhaled air and saliva. In response to the limitations of current techniques, this project aims to facilitate early detection of tuberculosis and improve patient monitoring, particularly in resource-limited areas.

Presenting the challenges of the project, Dr. Valérie Donkeng from the Mycobacteriology Service of the CPC highlights that the collection of respiratory samples represents a promising alternative. Simple, non-invasive, and low-cost, this method could significantly expand screening strategies, particularly at the community level where access to specialized laboratories remains limited. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 10 million people contract tuberculosis each year worldwide. Yet, about one-third of cases still go undetected and unreported, thereby promoting disease transmission and delaying patient care.

Providing a scientific perspective on the new avenues being explored, Dr. Stéphane Pouzol explains that several research studies have highlighted the presence of Lipoarabinomannan (LAM) — a molecule associated with the cell wall of the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis — in exhaled air samples. According to various studies, this biomarker could be detected in significant amounts in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, both in adults and children. At the same time, research on salivary biomarkers has identified promising biological indicators that could eventually be incorporated into rapid tests that can be performed directly at the point of care.

For Dr. Appolonie Noah, Permanent Secretary of the National Tuberculosis Control Program (PNLT), this project raises genuine hope. She highlights the feasibility as well as the cost-effectiveness of these respiratory and saliva diagnostic tests, which are both rapid and non-invasive. This innovation comes in a worrying national context: in Cameroon, around 46,000 new cases of tuberculosis are estimated each year, while only about 25,000 cases are officially recorded.

The LAM4RO project is being implemented jointly by the Pasteur Center of Cameroon and the Pasteur Institute of Madagascar, under the coordination of the National Agency for Research on AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, and Emerging Infectious Diseases (ANRS) and the Mérieux Foundation. The work will take place over a three-year period and aims to assess ways to integrate these new tools into national tuberculosis control programs, in order to improve patient triage and therapeutic monitoring. Research activities will notably be conducted at Jamot Hospital in Yaoundé and at the Efoulan District Hospital.