Articles tagged with Tuberculosis
Implementing the 3Is policy (Intensified tuberculosis case finding, Infection control, and Isoniazid preventive therapy) combined with earlier start of ART can prevent HIV-associated TB. Early diagnosis and treatment, along with a comprehensive package of HIV care, form the basis of prevention and control of HIV-associated TB.
The Lancet series highlights the need to assess interventions for social and economic determinants of TB, including malnutrition, alcohol use, and poor housing. Community engagement is crucial to overcome this community disease, and a progressive model is needed to harness community participation.
Despite progress in curing TB patients, the disease remains a major health threat due to poverty, poor diagnosis, and treatment. The Lancet launches the TB Observatory to monitor progress, increase funding, and promote international cooperation to combat TB.
The global burden of tuberculosis remains significant, with 11 million active cases in 2008, despite progress made since the start of DOTS era. Rapid expansion of TB diagnosis and treatment has saved up to six million lives, but further efforts are needed to eliminate the disease by 2050.
The article highlights the growing concern of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) becoming a dominant strain worldwide. MDR TB poses a major threat to existing TB control programmes due to its association with lower cure rates and higher mortality rates than drug-susceptible TB disease.
New drugs, vaccines, biomarkers, and diagnostics could reduce TB incidence by 94% by 2050. Biomarker development is crucial for predicting treatment outcomes, while diagnostics advancements aim to improve case detection.
Experts warn that weak health systems are impeding global efforts to control tuberculosis, with rapidly introduced suboptimum reforms harming national targets. However, innovative solutions from countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Tanzania, Thailand, and Vietnam have shown promise in addressing bottlenecks.
A recent study published at the ATS 2010 International Conference found that HIV-infected patients who are falsely diagnosed with tuberculosis have higher mortality rates compared to those who receive correct diagnoses. The study evaluated 600 HIV-infected patients treated at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, and discovered that fals...
Researchers developed a new technique using patterns in immune response to differentiate between active and latent tuberculosis. The test identified specific cytokine patterns that allowed for quick diagnosis, potentially reducing early exposure to the disease.
Scientists studied Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteasome structure and assembly to understand its role in pathogen survival. This knowledge could aid in developing anti-TB drugs by preventing proteasome maturation.
A recent study published in PNAS reveals that Mycobacterium tuberculosis relies on gluconeogenic substrates for growth and persistence, with phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) playing a pivotal role. This finding could lead to the development of new drug therapies targeting the enzyme, potentially improving treatment outcomes fo...
Dr. Mandalakas will analyze social and economic barriers to implementing Isoniazid preventative therapy in children with latent tuberculosis infection in South Africa. She aims to promote the practical implementation of preventive therapy to improve child health outcomes.
The University of Maryland Medical Center's Historical Clinicopathological Conference has re-examined Simon Bolivar's death, suggesting chronic arsenic poisoning led to a serious respiratory illness. Dr. Paul G. Auwaerter believes the symptoms align with gradual arsenic poisoning, contradicting the initial diagnosis of tuberculosis.
Researchers have discovered a new avenue to overcome tuberculosis drug resistance by targeting an enzyme that breaks down beta-lactam antibiotics. Clavulanate and meropenem combination shows promise in sterilizing TB bacteria, including XDR-strains.
Chronic stress accelerates tumor growth in ovarian cancer patients by protecting cells from anoikis, a process that allows tumor cells to survive and grow. Stress hormones norepinephrine and epinephrine activate the protein FAK, leading to accelerated mortality.
The study found that Poly-ICLC treatment increased lung bacterial load and damage in mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This was attributed to the recruitment of myeloid immune cells, which supported bacterial growth and exacerbated lung damage.
An experimental immune-boosting drug that increases type I interferon production hastens tuberculosis (TB) in mice. The treatment also draws more macrophages to the lungs, where TB bacteria thrive, leading to severe lung tissue damage and worsened disease outcomes.
UT Southwestern researchers found that a type of blood pressure medication shows promise in overcoming some drug-resistant tuberculosis. However, the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium may be resistant to treatment in more people than previously thought. The studies challenge current thinking on how TB works and how best to kill it.
Researchers have discovered that Mycobacterium tuberculosis stimulates macrophages to accumulate fat droplets, turning them into 'foamy' cells that can reawaken the latent TB infection. This cellular transformation allows the bacteria to leak out into the airways and progressively destroy lung tissue.
A study published in Respiratory Research reveals that older people and those infected with HIV are at higher risk of contracting and dying from tuberculosis. The research identified factors linked to treatment abandonment and deaths, including lack of understanding, injection drug use, and age over 50 or HIV infection.
A Johns Hopkins team identified a class of chemical compounds that selectively slow down a tuberculosis protein's activity and block TB growth. The MetAP inhibitors have the potential to enhance existing therapy by targeting an essential enzyme in the bacteria's survival.
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have found two novel ways to kill TB bacteria, using an enzyme called GlgE and a second pathway that also synthesizes alpha glucans. This combination could lead to a potent therapy that prevents resistant TB strains from developing.
A new TB booster vaccine has been shown to improve resistance to tuberculosis in previously vaccinated adults, according to a study published by the American Thoracic Society.
Research found that UK prisoners have significantly higher rates of drug-resistant TB, with one in three cases resistant to treatment, and poorer treatment outcomes compared to other TB patients.
Researchers have identified genetic differences in an immune enzyme as a key factor in TB disease susceptibility and resistance. A medium level of this enzyme's activity is associated with protection against both TB and leprosy, offering new leads for TB treatment and vaccine development.
Researchers identified a gene lta4h involved in TB and leprosy susceptibility, with a role in orchestrating pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses. The balanced genotype appears to lead to a balanced inflammatory response, while very strong anti-inflammatory activities may worsen infections.
A new genetic variant has been identified that offers protection against tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy. This discovery opens up potential new targets for drug development, particularly for improving treatment schedules for patients with these diseases.
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that initiating antiretroviral therapy during tuberculosis treatment significantly reduces mortality rates for co-infected patients. The trial, which involved 642 patients, showed a 56% reduction in mortality rates compared to those who received sequential therapy.
A review of airline passengers and crew exposed to TB found no evidence of transmission during air travel. Only 10 out of 4328 passengers tested positive, with no reported cases of active TB resulting from air travel.
Indiana University researchers have identified a mechanism used by the tuberculosis bacterium to evade the body's immune system and discovered a compound that can block its survival. The IU team synthesized the compound I-A09, which successfully blocked the TB bacterium's activity in laboratory tests.
A new study published in PLoS ONE suggests that badger culling is unlikely to be a cost-effective way of helping control cattle TB in Britain. The research found that the benefits of repeated widespread badger culling disappear within four years after the culling has ended, resulting in significant financial losses for farmers.
A recent study found that the majority of TB-HIV co-infection cases in San Diego are now among Hispanics, highlighting a significant shift in the disease's ethnic makeup. The results emphasize the need for targeted binational prevention efforts to address the widening health disparities.
The Tuberculosis Trials Consortium (TBTC) brings together researchers from Barcelona, the US CDC and international partners to develop new treatments and diagnostic tests for TB. With over 12,000 patients enrolled, the consortium aims to improve TB control and prevention globally.
A new vaccine against tuberculosis has been shown to be effective in preventing the disease in people with HIV infection. The DarDar Health Study found that the Mycobacterium vaccae (MV) vaccine reduced the rate of definite tuberculosis by 39 percent among 2,000 HIV-infected patients in Tanzania.
Researchers found that Helicobacter pylori infection may enhance immunity against tuberculosis by inducing expression of interferon gamma and other cytokines. This protection may help determine whether someone infected with TB gets a latent or active disease, offering potential new insights into managing the disease.
A study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases found that each additional 1.1 pounds of birth weight decreases tuberculosis risk by 46% among identical twins. The association is stronger for males, with an 87% reduced risk, and sheds light on the developmental origins of health and disease.
Scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered a new pathway that protects epithelial and endothelial cells from uncontrolled tuberculosis infection by producing an enzyme that inhibits Th17 cell production.
Researchers at Loyola University Health System failed to find evidence of TB bacteria forming spores, contradicting a provocative theory. The new findings could help ensure that efforts to improve treatments for tuberculosis are focused on productive directions.
A new strain of antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis has been identified as thriving in the presence of rifampin, a front-line drug. The bacteria grew poorly without rifampin and worsened with treatment regimens containing the drug, but recovered once rifampin was removed from the regimen.
The La Jolla Institute will receive funding to identify epitopes for developing effective vaccines against these diseases. The study aims to make new inroads toward vaccines that can target the body's immune system to launch an attack, with potential applications for tuberculosis and malaria.
A DNA study has identified the earliest known case of leprosy in a 1st-century shrouded man found in a Jerusalem tomb. The analysis reveals that this individual likely died from tuberculosis, challenging the historical association between leprosy and social exclusion.
Researchers found that tubercle formation is a critical step in TB infection, and that epithelial cells produce MMP9 enzyme to recruit macrophages. Blocking this pathway may lead to new therapies for TB and other inflammatory conditions.
The university's School of Medicine will oversee two international trial sites in Uganda and the Philippines to test new TB treatments and regimens. The contract aims to improve TB treatment and control programs globally, benefiting millions of people affected by the disease.
Scientists at MUHC and international colleagues discovered a chromosomal site controlling natural resistance to TB infection, found in 20% of individuals from high-exposure areas. The findings hold promise for preventing TB infection in the general population by stimulating resistance mechanisms.
A new trial study in Tomsk, Russia aims to integrate alcohol screening, treatment and referral into routine tuberculosis care. The study assesses the feasibility of delivering pharmacotherapy and behavioral treatments for alcohol use disorders alongside TB treatment, with promising results.
The Malawi government has introduced a national program to deliver effective pneumonia treatment, known as standard case management, to children. This initiative aims to reduce the high mortality rate of childhood pneumonia in low-income countries by providing timely and appropriate antibiotic therapy and oxygen support.
Scientists have developed a simple and portable method to detect tuberculosis (TB) bacteria using light, which may help identify people with latent infections. The technology, if refined, could be used in the developing world where most TB cases occur.
Researchers at Iowa State University have identified an enzyme that helps make tuberculosis resistant to a human's natural defense system. A new method to neutralize this enzyme may lead to a cure for the disease, which kills 1.5 to 2 million people worldwide annually.
Arizona State University has received over $32 million in federal stimulus funding for various research projects. The grants focus on developing new sources of renewable energy, improving the diagnosis of pediatric tuberculosis, and enhancing children's oral language skills.
Researchers at WPI's Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center have received funding from the NIH and NSF to study the bacterium that causes tuberculosis and develop engineered blood vessels. The work aims to create new treatments for infections and heart disease, and could lead to targets for a new class of antibiotics.
A new ELISpot test can rapidly identify active tuberculosis in smear-negative patients, distinguishing it from latent TB infection. The test's accuracy is confirmed with a high positive rate of 91.5% in patients with active TB.
Researchers discovered compounds that disable Mycobacterium tuberculosis' proteasome complex, allowing the bacteria to remain dormant. The inhibitors show high specificity for TB microbes while sparing human cells.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have identified new anti-tuberculosis compounds that inhibit the disease-causing bacteria's mechanism for surviving dormant in infected cells. The findings could lead to drugs that destroy TB in its dormant stage, potentially revolutionizing treatment.
Research papers published in PLOS Medicine identified gaps in TB treatment guidelines, suggesting improvements are needed. Regimens with shorter rifampin use had higher failure rates, while longer duration and more drugs were associated with lower relapse rates.
Researchers found that patients with cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis who received anti-TB medications supplemented with nebulized interferon-gamma had fewer bacilli in the lungs and less inflammation, reducing transmissibility. This treatment approach could be critical in controlling TB spread.
A recent study by MUHC/McGill researchers suggests that tuberculosis treatment guidelines should be revised, recommending extended treatment periods for new cases and more effective combinations of drugs to avoid drug resistance. The World Health Organization is urged to review its directives to benefit the global community
Researchers at UAB found that preventive antibiotic TB therapy for HIV-infected patients is approximately $950 per case, compared to a previously reported range of $900-$1500 for treating new smear-positive TB cases. The integrated care approach also offers economic benefits by reducing productivity losses and preventing the spread of TB.
A new diagnostic test, urine LAM-ELISA, was tested on 291 Tanzanian patients suspected of having TB and found to have a disappointing sensitivity of 50.7%. The specificity of the test was also low at 87.8%, raising concerns about its reliability as a standalone diagnostic tool.
A recent study found that smoking is a significant risk factor for active tuberculosis (TB), with current smokers twice as likely to develop active TB as never-smokers. The study analyzed data from nearly 17,000 individuals in Taiwan and found that younger smokers were more likely to develop active TB.
Despite notable achievements in disease management, South Africa faces a severe HIV and tuberculosis crisis, with 17% of the global burden. The country needs to escalate its public health response to tackle rising drug resistance and improve treatment outcomes.