Shorter combination TB preventive regimens may be effective alternative to six-month isoniazid preventive therapy

Shorter TB preventive regimens combining isoniazid with a rifamycin-type drug are just as effective as a six-month course of isoniazid in preventing TB in people with HIV, according to preliminary results from a large randomised study conducted in South Africa, presented on Monday at the World Lung Health conference in Paris.

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TB vaccine reduces new cases by almost 40% in people with HIV

A TB vaccine reduced the incidence of laboratory-confirmed TB in HIV-positive people by 37% in a large placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial in Tanzania, researchers from the United States and Tanzania reported on Monday at the World Lung Health conference in Paris.

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Migrants with MDR-TB in southern Africa being dumped off at borders without referrals to care

Some migrant workers in southern Africa who have been diagnosed with MDR-TB are being deposited at the border of their home country without treatment or referral to care, according to reports at the World Lung Health Conference held in Paris from October 17th-20th.

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The scale of the challenge in fight against TB in South Africa

Southern Africa faces enormous challenges in the fight against TB and TB/HIV coinfection, according to several reports made at the South African TB conference, held in July in Durban.

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South Africa’s lop-sided TB response: more attention to prevention of drug resistance required

South Africa needs to spend a lot more money on directly observed therapy for TB (DOTS), according to experts, to avoid a lop-sided response that spends too much on MDR-TB as a result of spending too little on ensuring the success of first-line TB treatment.

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More delays in the fight against TB in South Africa

With the failure of the South African National AIDS Committee (SANAC)’s 1.1-billion Rand (round 8) application to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) and the ongoing political uncertainty with a “caretaker” government until the 2009 elections, South African delegates attending the World Lung Health conference in Paris last week expressed fears that many long awaited activities to scale-up TB and TB/HIV services will be placed on hold for some time to come.

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Long hospital stays for TB treatment can increase risk of reinfection with MDR or XDR-TB strains

Hospitalising people with tuberculosis – whether it is drug-sensitive or drug-resistant - for long periods in order to treat the condition puts them at increased risk of reinfection with multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively-drug-resistant (XDR)-TB strains, according to a Latvian study presented at the World Lung Health Conference in Paris last week.

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Plasma concentrations of rifampicin may be too low in children using currently recommended doses

The currently recommended dosage of rifampicin for children may be too low according to a fairly large pharmacokinetic study presented at the 39th Union World Conference on Lung Health held in Paris.

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