HIV Positive Tuberculosis Patients with Low CD4 Count Benefit from Prompt Antiretroviral Therapy
- Details
- Category: Tuberculosis (TB)
- Published on Friday, 28 October 2011 00:00
- Written by Liz Highleyman
The optimal time for HIV positive people with tuberculosis (TB) to start antiretroviral therapy (ART) varies based on immune system health, according to 3 studies described in the October 20, 2011, New England Journal of Medicine. Patients with low CD4 cell counts have a survival advantage if they start ART promptly, but for people with higher CD4 counts there is more concern about developing IRIS.
Tuberculosis Declines for First Time Ever, WHO Says
- Details
- Category: Tuberculosis (TB)
- Published on Tuesday, 25 October 2011 00:00
- Written by WHO
The number of worldwide cases of, and deaths due to, tuberculosis (TB) decreased in 2010, for the first time since the World Health Organization (WHO) has been compiling global data. These gains are at risk, however, if funding for TB prevention and care is not maintained.
New TB Vaccine Candidate Appears Promising in Mice
- Details
- Category: Tuberculosis (TB)
- Published on Friday, 09 September 2011 00:00
- Written by Albert Einstein College of Medicine
A related bacteria known as Mycobacterium smegmatis modified to carry M. tuberculosis genes was able to a stimulate a strong immune response in mice, offering the potential for a new protective tuberculosis vaccine, according to a study reported in the September 4, 2011, advance online edition of Nature Medicine.
Risk Factors for Tuberculosis among HIV Positive People in the US and Canada
- Details
- Category: Tuberculosis (TB)
- Published on Thursday, 15 September 2011 00:00
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Worldwide, tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death for people with HIV/AIDS. TB is relatively uncommon in industrialized countries such as the U.S. and Canada, where it is largely concentrated among immigrants and the indigent.
Although HIV positive people with compromised immune function are at risk for TB as an opportunistic illness, TB screening is not routinely done prior to initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) in low-incidence settings.
Tuberculosis Blood Tests Often Inaccurate, WHO Warns Against Use
- Details
- Category: Tuberculosis (TB)
- Published on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 00:00
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Commercially available blood tests for active tuberculosis (TB) may not be accurate and can lead to misdiagnosis and mistreatment, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published online August 9, 2011, in PLoS Medicine.