Kalamazoo, Michigan, Gambian rats differ from normal mice because of the weight can reach 4-7 kg. It also has a special ability to detect the bacterium tuberculosis (TB), believed to be even more accurate than examination with a microscope.

By leveraging the ability of Gambia rats (Cricetomys gambianus), Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis examination can be done more cheaply. Anyone can capture and maintain it because these animals live wild and spread in some regions of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Comparing with current methods, introduced the world health organization WHO recently. Although able to detect tuberculosis in 2 hours, the price of a tool used to reach U.S. $ 17,000 or approximately USD 153 million not including cartridge sputum that is not less expensive.

Meanwhile, the most practical and inexpensive method that has been done since 100 years ago that is considered weak smear microscopy of the aspects of accuracy.This examination has a high risk of failure, because 60-80 percent of the bacteria was not detected by methods that rely solely on this microscope.

Smear microscopy requires that the number of sputum or phlegm enough to guarantee its accuracy. Even so, this method is still widely used because it is cheap, especially in developing countries with limited laboratory facilities department.

Recently, Prof. Alan Poling from Western Michigan University introduced an inexpensive yet accurate method for detecting tuberculosis. These methods utilize the sense of smell acuity Gambian rat, a type of African giant rat.

In laboratory tests, mice that size can be larger than the cat is able to positively detect the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with a sensitivity of 86.6 percent. When given a sputum that is free of TB bacteria, the reaction of rats to identify the negative results with an accuracy of 93 percent.

After all Gambian rat is an animal that fun. Had not had a long, scaly tail, certainly not too creepy, and certainly many who like to maintain.