**Summary**

Tuberculosis still remains a major health problem in many developing countries, despite continuous long-standing vaccination and surveillance programs, and worldwide availability of effective anti-tuberculosis drugs. Early detection is of major importance in the control of tuberculosis. The emergence of multidrug resistant *Mycobacterium tuberculosis* and the association of HIV with tuberculosis outbreaks in community both illustrate that rapid diagnosis is essential. Therefore, a fast and reliable diagnosis of tuberculosis would greatly improve the control of the tuberculosis. Regrettably, current conventional laboratory diag‐ nostic methods of tuberculosis are still time-consuming. The rapid development of novel diagnostic methods for the identification of mycobacteria and its species bring new hope, however, for the diagnosis and management this infectious disease. Meanwhile those techni‐ ques still seem to clash with simplicity and economically affordable issues.
