ScienceDaily: Tuberculosis News

New approach to battling tuberculosis

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:36:36 EDT

Scientists have discovered a drug that cripples tuberculosis bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) in a novel way, by dissolving the protecting fatty coating of the bacteria. The drug killed the bacterium in culture without the emergence of drug resistance.

New compound excels at killing persistent and drug-resistant tuberculosis

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:31:31 EDT

Scientists have identified a highly promising new anti-tuberculosis compound that attacks the tuberculosis bacterium in two different ways.

New mechanism of TB drug resistance identified

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:25:25 EDT

A recent study has identified a new mechanism for PZA-resistance, which provides new insight into the how this mysterious drug works.

Tracking drug-resistant tuberculosis in real-time

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:25:25 EDT

It's the second leading cause of death by an infectious agent worldwide. Now, scientists are tackling drug-resistant tuberculosis with a new, lab-based surveillance system that can track the spread of the disease in real-time.

New kind of antibiotic may be more effective at fighting tuberculosis, anthrax, and other diseases

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:38:38 EDT

Diseases such as tuberculosis, anthrax, and shigellosis -- a severe food-borne illness -- eventually could be treated with an entirely new and more-effective kind of antibiotic, say scientists who found 46 previously untested molecules that target and disrupt an important step in the process of protein synthesis in bacteria. These molecules render bacteria incapable of replicating.

Vitamin C can kill drug-resistant TB, researchers find

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:12:12 EDT

In a striking, unexpected discovery, researchers have determined that vitamin C kills drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) bacteria in laboratory culture. The finding suggests that vitamin C added to existing TB drugs could shorten TB therapy, and it highlights a new area for drug design.

Portable device provides rapid, accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis, other bacterial infections

Sun, 05 May 2013 15:00:00 EDT

A handheld diagnostic device first developed to diagnose cancer has been adapted to rapidly diagnose tuberculosis and other important infectious bacteria. Two versions of the portable device combine microfluidic technology with nuclear magnetic resonance to not only diagnose these important infections but also determine the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.

Significant step forward in combating antibiotic resistance

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:25:25 EDT

New research is a significant development in combating antibiotic resistance; it will pave the way for the creation of the inhibitors to counteract the process, allowing a renaissance in the use of antibiotics.

Battling with bugs to prevent antibiotic resistance

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:27:27 EDT

Bacteria can evolve resistance more quickly when stronger antibiotics are used, new research confirms.

Vets and medical doctors should team up to tackle diseases transmitted from animals to humans

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:10:10 EDT

A new study analyses the impact of animal brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis (BTB) on animals and people in urban, peri-urban and rural Niger. The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks them as major zoonoses, infectious diseases transmitted between species. The research maps risk factors for transmission of these diseases from animals to humans, indicating that closer collaboration between medical doctors and veterinarians is required.

Cell-destroyer that fights and promotes TB reveals what's behind its split identity

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:38:38 EDT

TB can be a disease not only of failed immunity but also of excessive immune response. Tumor necrosis factor -- normally an infection-fighting substance produced by the body -- can actually heighten susceptibility to tuberculosis if its levels are too high.

New drug target companion prognostic test for hormone therapy resistance

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:10:10 EDT

A team of international cancer researchers has identified the signalling pathway that is over-activated in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells that are resistant to hormone therapies such as tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors or fulvestrant.

Rise in CF patient infections explained: DNA sequencing reveals evidence for Mycobacterium abscessus transmission between Cystic Fibrosis patients

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:03:03 EDT

Whole genome sequencing has explained why infection by the multidrug resistant bacteria, Mycobacterium abscessus, has been on the increase in Cystic Fibrosis patients. This study revealed that frequent transmission of the bacteria occurs between CF patients despite conventional cross-infection measures.

Widespread 'test-and-treat' HIV policies could increase dangerous drug resistance

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:16:16 EDT

One of the most widely advocated strategies for dealing with HIV/AIDS could double the number of multi-drug-resistant HIV cases in the population of men who have sex with men in LA County over the next 10 years, cautions a new study.

Will having one lung limit Pope Francis?

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:41:41 EDT

A pulmonologist explains why a person can function normally on one lung.

Steroids may help reduce deaths from all types of tuberculosis

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:24:24 EDT

The routine use of steroids to treat tuberculosis may help reduce deaths from all types of the disease, according to a new review of existing research.

Key to TB cure could lie underwater

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 19:05:05 EST

Researchers are collecting actinomycete bacteria from water throughout the world in a hunt for new antibiotics.

Wolf in sheep's clothing: Uncovering how deadly bacteria trick the immune system

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:54:54 EST

A new study demonstrates how bacteria can pretend to be a virus and trick the immune system into sending out the wrong type of defense. Such manipulation sheds light on how the flu may make us more susceptible to pneumonia or as in the recent outbreak of TB in Los Angeles, possibly how the flu and other environmental factors could be used to the TB bacteria’s advantage.

‘Stressed’ bacteria become resistant to antibiotics

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:40:40 EST

Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics when stressed, finds new research. In particular E. coli grown at high temperatures become resistant to rifampicin. It is generally thought that antibiotic resistance is costly to maintain, for example mutations which reduce antibiotic uptake also restrict the amount of nutrients entering the cell. Consequently in the absence of antibiotics non-resistant bacteria will out-compete the resistant ones. However researchers have discovered that by putting bacteria under stress, by growing them at a high temperature, the bacteria could spontaneously develop resistance to the antibiotic rifampicin.

Scientists unveil secrets of important natural antibiotic

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:43:43 EST

An international team of scientists has discovered how an important natural antibiotic called dermcidin, produced by our skin when we sweat, is a highly efficient tool to fight tuberculosis germs and other dangerous bugs.

Whole genome sequencing better at tracing TB outbreaks than standard test

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:21:21 EST

A new form of genetic testing of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis can provide better information on TB transmission and also trace TB outbreaks more accurately than the current standard test, according to a new study.

TB infection rates set to 'turn clock back to 1930s'

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:20:20 EST

Tuberculosis looks set to defy concerted efforts to treat it successfully with powerful drugs, turning the clock back to the 1930s, warn experts.

Novel pathway for a mucosal TB vaccine

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:06:06 EST

A new pathway for improving vaccines against tuberculosis has been discovered by microbiologists.

Tuberculosis: WHO-endorsed test offers rapid detection

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:46:46 EST

A diagnostic test for tuberculosis (TB) can accurately and quickly detect both TB and drug-resistant strains, according to a new study. The authors of a new systematic review assessing the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert MTB/RIF test say their study can provide timely advice for clinicians and policymakers in countries where TB is a major public health problem.

Tuberculosis may lurk in bone marrow stem cells of infected patients

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:36:36 EST

Tuberculosis is a devastating disease that kills nearly 2 million people worldwide each year. Now, in a classic case of bench-to-bedside research, scientists have discovered a possible reason for the disease's resistance: The ability of the tuberculosis bacteria to infiltrate and settle down in a particular class of stem cell in the bone marrow. By doing so, the bacteria take advantage of the body's own mechanisms of self-renewal.

COPD patients at risk of dangerous bacterial infections

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:01:01 EST

It is well known that COPD patients run a higher risk of contracting respiratory infections. However, a new thesis shows that they are also at higher risk of other bacterial infections, such as tuberculosis (TB) and pneumococcal and staphylococcal infections that can cause serious illness.

Medicinal 'toothbrush tree' yields antibiotic to treat TB in new way

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:27:27 EST

There are potentially new TB drugs in the pipeline from unusual sources. A newly discovered compound has been found to be effective against resistant strains of TB.

Breath test identifies bacteria's fingerprint

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 21:21:21 EST

Scientists have identified the chemical ‘fingerprints’ given off by specific bacteria when present in the lungs, potentially allowing for a quick and simple breath test to diagnose infections such as tuberculosis. Researchers have successfully distinguished between different types of bacteria, as well as different strains of the same bacteria, in the lungs of mice by analyzing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in exhaled breath.

New compound overcomes drug-resistant Staph infection in mice

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 11:05:05 EST

Researchers have discovered a new compound that restores the health of mice infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an otherwise dangerous bacterial infection. The new compound targets an enzyme not found in human cells but which is essential to bacterial survival.

Rethinking bacterial persistence: Optofluidics allow for new understanding of resistance to antibiotics

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:31:31 EST

Scientists have used microfluidics to observe the behavior of individual tuberculosis-like bacteria in the presence of antibiotics. Their observations call into question the prevailing theory of bacterial resistance, and they have proposed a new explanation for why some bacteria become resistant.

Molecule that polices TB lung infection discovered: Could lead to vaccine

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:03:03 EST

The presence of a certain molecule allows the immune system to effectively police tuberculosis of the lungs and prevent it from turning into an active and deadly infection, according to a new study.

Research reveals new drug target urgently needed for tuberculosis therapy

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:18:18 EST

One third of the world is infected with the bacterium that causes tuberculosis, a disease that is increasingly difficult to treat because of wide spread resistance to available drugs. Researchers have identified a fresh target to develop new drugs for TB. The study shows why the target will be important in developing new TB treatments.

Stroke drug kills bacteria that cause ulcers and tuberculosis

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:37:37 EST

A drug for ischemic strokes may also treat tuberculosis and ulcers. New research shows the compound, ebselen, to inhibit the thioredoxin reductase system in bacteria, including Helicobacter pylori and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Hospital cleaning protocol ineffective against multidrug-resistant A. Baumannii

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 09:50:50 EST

Current hospital cleaning protocol may be inadequate to rid patient rooms of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii.

TB vaccine research could accelerate life-saving discoveries

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:32:32 EST

Medical researchers are conducting a clinical trial that could help identify the most promising tuberculosis vaccines for future study.

Survival gene may be key to controlling HIV and hepatitis

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:13:13 EST

A newly discovered gene that is essential for embryo survival could also hold the key to treating and potentially controlling chronic infections such as HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis. The gene, called Arih2, is fundamental to the function of the immune system -- making critical decisions about whether to switch on the immune response to an infection.

'Repurposed' anti-parasite drug shows promise as new tuberculosis treatment, research finds

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 11:12:12 EST

A well-established family of drugs used to treat parasitic diseases is showing surprising potential as a therapy for tuberculosis, according to new research.

New test for tuberculosis could improve treatment, prevent deaths in Southern Africa

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:49:49 EST

A new rapid test for tuberculosis (TB) could substantially and cost-effectively reduce TB deaths and improve treatment in southern Africa -- a region where both HIV and tuberculosis are common.

'Missing link' discovered in defense mechanism of tuberculosis pathogen

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:38:38 EST

Flemish biologists have discovered that Mycobacterium tuberculosis -- the bacterium that causes tuberculosis -- has an ingenious defense mechanism against oxygen. This knowledge is important in the search for a treatment for tuberculosis. Some 9.4 million people are infected with tuberculosis annually and 1.7 million people die as a result.

Molecular epidemiological conditions relating to tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacteria

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 07:39:39 EST

A research project studying molecular epidemiological conditions relating to diseases caused by tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacteria in the Mubende region of Uganda has increased our understanding of how the interplay between humans, animals and the environment affects the development of such diseases. The project focused in particular on social and risk factors which may possibly prevent the success of a disease control programme in the region.

Antibiotics observed attacking tuberculosis: Mass spectrometry shows scientists how antibiotics function inside living bacteria

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:12:12 EDT

Researchers report that mass spectrometry, a tool currently used to detect and measure proteins and lipids, can also now allow biologists to "see" for the first time exactly how drugs work inside living cells to kill infectious microbes. As a result, scientists may be able to improve existing antibiotics and design new, smarter ones to fight deadly infections, such as tuberculosis.

Structure discovered for promising tuberculosis drug target

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:18:18 EDT

Researchers have figured out the three-dimensional shape of the protein responsible for creating unique bonds within the cell wall of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. The bonds make the bacteria resistant to currently available drug therapies, contributing to the alarming rise of these super-bacteria throughout the world.

Next generation vaccines: Eliminating the use of needles

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 09:08:08 EDT

Scientists have developed a pioneering new method of oral vaccination which could help boost immunity to tuberculosis (TB) and influenza, as well as prevent C. difficile for which there is currently no vaccine.

Antibiotic shows promise in treating extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:27:27 EDT

When tested in patients hospitalized with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) unresponsive to previous treatment, linezolid, an antibiotic used to treat severe bacterial infections, proved largely effective when added to the patients' ongoing TB treatment regimen.

Urgent need for tuberculosis vaccines; Experts report progress, obstacles in growing drug resistance

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 11:27:27 EDT

Drawing on recent findings of a significant rise in cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis in the UK and globally, top TB researchers are calling for greater focus on the quest for new vaccines -- a crucial long-term, cost-effective method for addressing the growing threat.

The genetics of HIV-1 resistance

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 08:27:27 EDT

Drug resistance is a major problem when treating infections. This problem is multiplied when the infection, like HIV-1, is chronic. New research has examined the genetic footprint that drug resistance causes in HIV and found compensatory polymorphisms that help the resistant virus to survive.

TB drug could reduce mortality for multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and extremely drug-resistant (XDR-TB) cases

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 21:37:37 EDT

Results from an observational study evaluating a new anti-TB drug have found that the treatment can improve outcomes and reduce mortality among patients with both MDR-TB and XDR-TB.

New strategies needed to combat disease in developing countries

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 14:11:11 EDT

So-called lifestyle diseases are gaining ground with epidemic speed in low-income countries. The traditional health focus in these countries has been to combat communicable diseases such as malaria, HIV and tuberculosis. However, new research suggests that dividing campaigns into combating either non-communicable or communicable diseases is ineffective and expensive.

New research could provide new insights into tuberculosis and other diseases

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EDT

Scientists have developed a method to directly detect bacterial protein secretion, which could provide new insights into a variety of diseases including tuberculosis.

Scientists reveal how natural antibiotic kills tuberculosis bacterium

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:31:31 EDT

A natural product secreted by a soil bacterium shows promise as a new drug to treat tuberculosis report scientists. Scientists have shown how pyridomycin, a natural antibiotic produced by the bacterium Dactylosporangium fulvum, works. This promising drug candidate is active against many of the drug-resistant types of the tuberculosis bacterium that no longer respond to treatment with the front-line drug isoniazid.

Pain drug can kill resistant tuberculosis: Low cost drug wipes out drug resistant TB, but may not reach patients in need

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:10:10 EDT

An off-patent anti-inflammatory drug that costs around two cents for a daily dose in developing countries has been found by researchers to kill both replicating and non-replicating drug resistant tuberculosis in the laboratory -- a feat few currently approved TB drugs can do, and resistance to those is spreading.

Call for a new approach to fighting tuberculosis

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 17:16:16 EDT

Each year, nearly two million people die from tuberculosis -- a treatable disease that has been brought under control in the United States, but continues to ravage other parts of the world. This health inequity should prompt a complete rethinking of the way tuberculosis is fought on a global level, experts argue.

High doses of vitamin D help tuberculosis patients recover more quickly

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 15:40:40 EDT

For decades before antibiotics became generally available, sunshine was used to treat tuberculosis, with patients often being sent to Swiss clinics to soak up the sun's healing rays. Now, for the first time scientists have shown how and why heliotherapy might, indeed, have made a difference. A new study has shown that high doses of Vitamin D, given in addition to antibiotic treatment, appear to help patients with tuberculosis recover more quickly.

More research needed on the best treatment options for multidrug-resistant TB

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:17:17 EDT

The use of newer drugs, a greater number of effective drugs, and a longer treatment regimen may be associated with improved survival of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, according to a large study.

Better vaccines for tuberculosis could save millions of lives

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:49:49 EDT

Cases of one of the world's deadliest diseases -- tuberculosis -- are rising at an alarming rate, despite widespread vaccination. Reasons for the ineffectiveness of the vaccine, especially in regions where this infectious disease is endemic, as well as arguments for replacing the existing vaccine with novel synthetic vaccines, are now being presented.

Possible cause of immune deficiency cases in Asia

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:13:13 EDT

A clinical study has identified an antibody that compromises the immune systems of HIV-negative people, making them susceptible to infections with opportunistic microbes such as nontuberculous mycobacteria. In this study conducted at hospitals in Thailand and Taiwan, the researchers found that the majority of study participants with opportunistic infections made an antibody against interferon-gamma, a cell-signaling molecule thought to play a major role in clearing harmful infections.

Researchers study the structure of drug resistance in tuberculosis

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 12:47:47 EDT

A research group is studying disease resistance in tuberculosis. The group has described the structure of a regulator that controls the expression of a pump that removes toxins from the bacteria.

New approach of resistant tuberculosis

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 11:27:27 EDT

Scientists have breathed new life into a forgotten technique and so succeeded in detecting resistant tuberculosis in circumstances where so far this was hardly feasible. Tuberculosis bacilli that have become resistant against our major antibiotics are a serious threat to world health.

Trial signals major milestone in hunt for new TB drugs

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:18:18 EDT

A novel approach to discover the first new tuberculosis (TB) combination drug regimen cleared a major hurdle when Phase II clinical trial results found it could kill more than 99 percent of patients' TB bacteria within two weeks and could be more effective than existing treatments, according to a new study. These results add to a growing body of evidence that the new regimen could reduce treatment by more than a year for some patients.

TB treatment paradox: Mouse studies show body's own response helps TB bacteria survive

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 14:57:57 EDT

Inhibiting a key immune response in mice during initial multi-drug treatment for tuberculosis could -- paradoxically -- shorten treatment time for the highly contagious lung infection according to new research.