Tuberculosis: A Devastating Disease
WHO declared the devastating affects Tuberculosis a global health emergency. With over 2 billion people or 1/3 of the world’s population infected with the TB bacillus and 8.8 million new cases and 1.4 million deaths per year, the numbers clearly explain why. TB is the leading cause of death for people living with HIV in Africa. It is also worth noting that MDR/XDR-TB on the rise and identified in almost every country where looked for.
The BCG, the current vaccine against Tuberculosis, is ineffective against the TB Pandemic. Despite wide use, BCG has had no apparent impact on the growing global TB epidemic; however it does reduce the risk of severe paediatric TB disease, but is still an unreliable form of protection against adult pulmonary TB, which accounts for most of TB burden worldwide. The vaccine is not known to protect against latent TB infection and is not recommended for use in infants infected with HIV, thus making it ineffective in preventing the deaths of those with HIV.
With better TB Vaccines, over 1.4 million people could be saved each year.
Why not download the full presentation to discover what you need to know about Infrastructure and capacity building with international and local groups:
· Improving the logistical and supply chain aspects of conducting vaccine trials in developing countries
· Accessing new sites in emerging countries, overcoming the challenges of limited infrastructure
· How best to stimulate local involvement through training and support networks for ‘naive’ sites
Dr Ann Ginsberg, VP Scientific Affairs, Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation