Articles tagged with Tuberculosis
A big data analysis of over a million cattle and 50,000 badgers found that cattle are primarily infected through other cattle, not badgers. This challenges the long-held assumption that badgers play a key role in spreading TB to cattle.
Cephalosporins have shown promise in treating tuberculosis (TB) through an in vitro study, with the antibiotics demonstrating potent anti-mycobacterial properties when used in synergistic combinations with traditional therapies. The results suggest that these drugs could be part of new combinatorial TB therapies.
Experts suggest outsourcing key tasks from WHO to better-placed agencies to improve effectiveness and attract funding. This approach would utilize external expertise more appropriately, allowing the organization to maintain global leadership while increasing the contribution of other actors.
Recent studies on tuberculosis have yielded conflicting results, leaving questions about the role of the lung microbiome in the disease. The variability in study methods, particularly in sampling techniques, may be a major contributor to these discrepancies.
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends latent TB infection screening in primary care settings, but challenges remain in identifying high-risk patients. Current tools are insufficient to predict progression from latent to active disease, hindering personalized medicine for those with latent TB infection.
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening for latent tuberculosis infection in people at increased risk due to their birthplace or living history. Treatment of LTBI with CDC-recommended regimens provides a moderate health benefit in preventing disease progression.
Researchers found that a repurposed drug, pirfenidone, increased lung lesions and prevented antibiotics from targeting TB bacteria. The study suggests caution when using host-directed therapies for TB, emphasizing the need for careful vetting of new treatments.
Researchers found that TB lesions can remain in lungs long after treatment with antibiotics has been completed. After six months of treatment, 50 patients still showed radiological abnormalities, indicating persistent TB bacteria.
Researchers discovered that some monkeys with depleted immune systems still had a second line of defense against tuberculosis, targeting CD8 and B cells. This finding could lead to more effective vaccines for TB, which affects people co-infected with HIV.
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine receive a $3.7 million NIH grant to identify biomarkers signaling Mtb activity in HIV-infected individuals. The goal is to develop tests that can predict active TB disease progression, optimizing preventive therapy timing and effectiveness.
A new study suggests that the number of tuberculosis cases in India could be up to two to three times higher than current estimates. The research found that many people opt for treatment from private healthcare providers, which usually fail to report TB cases to public health officials.
A simulated patient study sheds light on antibiotic misuse in Indian pharmacies, revealing that only a minority of urban Indian pharmacies correctly managed patients with presumed tuberculosis. The study found that pharmacies frequently dispensed antibiotics to patients presenting with TB symptoms without prescriptions.
The NIH has selected winning teams from a nationwide undergraduate biomedical engineering design competition for their innovative solutions to various healthcare challenges. The designs showcased promising technologies for diagnosing diseases such as tuberculosis and sepsis, with potential to save millions of lives.
A new diagnostic tool for tuberculosis has been developed to simplify, fasten and improve the accuracy of tests. The experimental new test is currently being tested in South Africa.
Scientists have discovered a possible explanation for the high prevalence of Russian tuberculosis strains by analyzing their protein and genome features. The study found that these strains produce more proteins producing long-chain fatty acids and less proteins destroying them, making them more effective at evading the immune system.
The new guidelines recommend comprehensive management of TB, including directly observed therapy, for all TB patients. Prompt initiation of anti-retroviral therapy during TB treatment can save lives.
A study published in eLife found no significant difference in the rate of mutations leading to drug resistance between HIV-positive and negative TB patients. HIV co-infection accelerates the development of active TB but does not increase the evolution of multidrug-resistant strains.
Researchers identified a key role for Vps33B in regulating innate immunity and found exaggerated inflammatory responses in cells lacking the protein. The study suggests potential new therapies for arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome, which is associated with recurrent infections and sepsis.
A promising TB vaccine candidate, Mtb Δppe25-pe19, induces a strong and diverse immune response to all mycobacterial PE/PPE proteins, offering insights into its protective efficacy. Unlike BCG, the new strain has an intact ESX-1 transport system, allowing it to induce phagosomal rupture and provoke innate immune responses.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a new route of entry for the tuberculosis bacteria, suggesting an alternative to traditional inhalation-based transmission. This finding opens up potential avenues for developing new therapies to prevent or treat tuberculosis infection.
The Lancet report highlights how mass imprisonment of drug users is driving global epidemics of HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis. Scaling up opioid substitution therapy in prisons and after release could prevent over a quarter of new HIV infections among injecting drug users.
A study reveals that rapid TB tests in West Africa have low accuracy due to the presence of other mycobacterial species like Mycobacterium africanum. The tests miss a substantial fraction of cases, leading to dire consequences for patients and TB control efforts.
A new study found that individual mycobacteria respond differently to antibiotics based on growth and timing, shedding light on the complexity of antibiotic tolerance. Bacteria in different stages of their cell cycle and size are susceptible to varying degrees.
Researchers are investigating genetic variations and unconventional T-cells that enable macrophages to resist Mtb infection in HIV-positive individuals. The study aims to identify biomarkers of resistance and novel approaches to TB vaccine and treatment.
Researchers at Linköping University have discovered that stimulating autophagy can be harmful when trying to treat tuberculosis, highlighting the need for new treatment alternatives. Strengthening immune defense cells like macrophages and dendritic cells may hold promise in controlling tubercule bacilli.
Researchers have developed a new method to detect mycobacterial pathogens directly from patient samples using genetic analysis, reducing detection time to 1-2 days. The new method was found to be equally accurate as traditional culture-based techniques and can also detect resistance to standard medicines.
Researchers used genome sequencing to determine when TB outbreaks ended by analyzing genetic mutations and transmission patterns. The method helped public health officials declare the end of an outbreak in January 2015, after no disease transmission occurred since mid-2012.
Seattle researchers deciphered how tuberculosis bacteria tolerates bedaquiline by silencing regulatory genes or pairing with pretomanid, disrupting tolerance gene networks to improve efficacy. This systems-approach represents a significant advance in the fight against tuberculosis.
The Government of Canada has pledged CA$85 million to support innovations in TB detection and care through the Stop TB Partnership's TB REACH initiative over the next five years. This funding will help reach, treat and cure millions of people affected by TB who lack proper care.
A streamlined TB diagnosis approach using a single sputum sample and rapid results proved feasible in rural Uganda, increasing treatment initiation rates. The method uses fluorescence microscopy for quick analysis and GeneXpert testing for accurate results, with 73% of patients diagnosed correctly.
The lateral flow urine lipoarabinomannan assay (LF-LAM) shows an average sensitivity and specificity of 45% and 92% in HIV-positive people with TB symptoms. However, its sensitivity is higher in individuals with low CD4 cell counts, making it a potential tool for early diagnosis and treatment.
Charles Daley, Irina Petrache, and James Crapo receive awards for their work on tuberculosis diagnosis, women in pulmonary medicine, and COPD research respectively. The American Thoracic Society honors their contributions to improve patient outcomes in respiratory diseases.
Research finds TB transmission in mongooses occurs through social behavior, with scent marks and urine allowing pathogen spread. Smaller social groups are most threatened by the disease.
Researchers identified a novel tuberculosis pathogen, Mycobacterium mungi, transmitted through environmental urine and anal gland secretions in banded mongooses. This discovery radically changes the understanding of TB transmission, with implications for wildlife and livestock health.
Researchers discovered that TB bacteria trick immune cells into building up fat to feed them, rather than destroying them. This finding provides new insights into the mechanisms of TB infection and potential treatment approaches using antisense oligonucleotides.
New data shows an estimated 340,000 Europeans developed TB in 2014. While progress has been made in reducing new cases, high rates of multidrug-resistant TB and TB affecting vulnerable groups continue to challenge elimination efforts. Targeted interventions for marginalized populations are crucial to successfully tackling TB
Scientists at Oxford University have identified biomarkers that could indicate TB risk and provide clues to assess the effectiveness of potential new vaccines. The discovery was made using immune correlates, also known as biomarkers, which can be measured in the blood.
Scientists have discovered a new way to inhibit the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by using modified cholesterol as an energy source. This breakthrough holds promise for the development of new treatments for tuberculosis, a highly infectious lung disease that kills one person every 21 seconds.
Researchers at UCLA and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have developed a new feedback system control technique to pinpoint the best possible drug-dose ratios for treating tuberculosis. This approach has identified promising combination treatments that can kill bacteria much faster than standard regimens, potentially shortening treatment ...
Researchers in South Africa are conducting a medical trial focused on controlling tuberculosis (TB) epidemics. The trial uses a novel approach that combines intensified household tracing and screening for TB and HIV using rapid molecular technologies.
Research reveals that smoking damages macrophages, leading to TB infection and worsening its progression. The impaired cells can't recycle debris, becoming 'clogged up' and less effective at fighting infection.
Researchers found that curcumin successfully removes Mycobacterium tuberculosis from infected cells in culture by inhibiting the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B. The study suggests a potential new treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis that could be less prone to resistance development.
Experts from the European Respiratory Society call for improved TB care for refugees to control and eliminate the disease. They emphasize the need for quality surveillance, monitoring, evaluation, and research among this group of people to prevent a rise in new cases.
Researchers aim to collect and analyze 100,000 TB samples to create a database of MDR-TB genes, enabling faster diagnosis using whole genome sequencing. The project, CRyPTIC, will take around five years to complete and could potentially save lives by providing the right treatment.
Researchers identified biological markers in blood samples from latently infected individuals that can predict the risk of developing active TB. These biomarkers may enable targeted therapies to prevent illness in high-risk individuals.
A randomized clinical trial found that using four drugs for TB does not improve survival rates over isoniazid therapy in advanced HIV/AIDS patients. The study validates the World Health Organization guidelines for prescribing isoniazid to vulnerable patients.
A study published in PLOS Pathogens suggests that HIV infection disrupts the immune response to Mtb, making it harder for the body to control active TB. Researchers found that early HIV infection diminishes a specific component of the immune response called IL-10, leading to a weaker defense against Mtb.
A large clinical trial found that treating HIV patients at risk for tuberculosis with TB drugs does not save more lives. Simple TB screening and isoniazid preventive therapy were well-tolerated and resulted in similar survival rates compared to a four-drug TB treatment.
Researchers found that adding statins to standard drug treatment reduced the time to clear tuberculosis infection by 35% in infected mice. The study suggests that repurposing statin drugs could accelerate TB treatment and improve public health outcomes.
A new study published in The Lancet suggests that a low-cost, urine test to diagnose tuberculosis among patients with HIV could save thousands of lives per year in sub-Saharan Africa. The test, which provides results in 25 minutes and costs $2.66, showed an absolute reduction of 4% in TB death rate among patients with HIV.
A study found that HIV patients in Africa with a certain genetic variant have a 63-percent lower chance of developing tuberculosis than those without the variant. This discovery may lead to the development of new TB treatments effective for both HIV-positive individuals and the general population.
A collection of papers from global health experts argues that investing in new health tools, delivery innovations, and disease control strategies can avert 10 million deaths annually. The collection focuses on five conditions disproportionately affecting the world's poorest people.
A GW chemistry professor is leading a team of researchers to identify enzyme inhibitors as possible medications for devastating diseases like malaria and tuberculosis. The five-year, $2.6 million grant will focus on designing small molecule inhibitors that can stop the production of key enzymes necessary for pathogen survival.
A new methodology developed at Rice and Rutgers universities helps scientists understand how biochemical networks control biological responses. The approach predicted novel interactions in bacteria that cause tuberculosis, revealing a potential mechanism for the disease's survival.
Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have developed a simple blood test that can accurately diagnose active tuberculosis, setting the stage for a significant transformation in disease control. The test works on ordinary blood samples and distinguishes patients with active TB from those with latent TB or other diseases.
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have made a significant discovery in how our immune system responds to TB, enabling the development of more effective vaccines and personalized therapies. The study highlights the importance of the protein Mal in cell signaling and its impact on responses to Interferon Gamma.
Scientists have uncovered the 3D structure of an enzyme crucial for Mycobacterium tuberculosis survival. This discovery could lead to the development of new compounds targeting the ketol-acid reductoisomerase (KARI) enzyme, which is only present in bacteria and plants.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have discovered a new compound that is more effective against the tuberculosis enzyme and maintains activity against resistant forms. The findings could lead to a more effective treatment for the deadly disease, which killed 1.5 million people in 2014.
TB cases decreased in recent US entrants from Mexico, Philippines, India, Vietnam, and China due to decreases in population and TB case rates. Non-recent entrants also experienced an unexpected decline, highlighting the need for strategies impacting both groups to further reduce TB morbidity.
A new study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that the most commonly used TB test failed to accurately diagnose tuberculosis in up to 50% of pregnant women who are HIV+. The researchers developed a new method to identify which women carrying latent TB infection are most likely to develop ...