MUMBAI, India, Sept. 22 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202611090680 A) filed by Swami Rama Himalayan University on July 25, 2026, for A Biodegradable Apparatus And Methods For Obtaining Tongue Swab For Tuberculosis Detection.
Inventors include Dr. Vikram Sethi; Dr. Piyush Kumar Rai; Dr. Bindu Dey; and Dr. Aarti Kotwal.
The application for the patent was published on September 18, 2026, under issue no. 38/2026.
Abstract: The invention relates to a biodegradable tongue swab system for collection and transport of tongue surface samples for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The system comprises a tongue swab having a rectangular rayon mesh or flap collection head with rounded corners at a distal end of a bagasse-fibre shaft coated with medical-grade polylactic acid and provided with a breakpoint mark. A swab stick is permanently fitted into a transport tube cap for use with a dedicated transport tube formed from a plant-based biopolymer comprising PLA and PHA, such that the collection head is suspended within the tube upon closure. The flexible planar collection head presents both sides for sampling the dorsal surface of the tongue, particularly the posterior three-fourths region. The collected specimen is enclosed for transport and is suitable for culture, smear microscopy, or nucleic acid amplification testing.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
