New Delhi: The Indian Patent Office had held its final hearing on a challenge filed by two tuberculosis survivors to prevent the Indian arm of drugmaker Johnson & Johnson from extending its patent on bedaquiline, used against drug-resistant TB, beyond the primary patent’s expiry in July.

Findings from a Johns Hopkins Children's Center study in animal models show that a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved antibiotic regimen for multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) may not work for TB meningitis. Studies in a small number of people also provide evidence that a new combination of drugs is needed to develop effective treatments for TB meningitis due to MDR strains.

According to the World Health Organization, of the roughly 10 million people who fall ill with TB annually, over 80% survive, in most cases due to a six-month treatment course. Unfortunately, as with long COVID, being cured is not always the last hurdle and many people go on to struggle with post-TB lung disease.

January 26, 2023 -- Researchers in India have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) model for detecting active tuberculosis on chest x-rays, and they suggest that the approach offers significant potential for real-world applications in locations with limited resources.

The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IJTLD) is the official publication of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union).

January 24, 2023 -- Harvard University researchers and collaborators conducted a modeling study that showed tuberculosis (TB) vaccination could be cost-effective in 73 of 105 (70%) low- and middle-income countries. The results, published on January 24 in PLOS Medicine, also predicted $474 billion in vaccine-related benefits by 2050.

Ahmedabad: A mobile application is helping bridge the gap in knowledge regarding tuberculosis for thousands of healthcare workers as the Central government strives to achieve its ambitious target to reduce the TB burden by 2025.

Decentralised molecular testing for TB could reduce missed diagnoses and losses to follow-up in high-burden settings.

Overview

The Stop TB Partnership and partners will host a webinar on 26 January 2023, What's new in childhood TB.