Vanderbilt TB Center News

Updated guidelines for the treatment of latent TB infection

Updated guidelines for the treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI) have recently been published by the National TB Controllers Association (NTCA) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Comprehensive guidelines for treatment of LTBI among persons living in the United States were last published in 2000, and since then, several new regimens have been evaluated in clinical trials.

TB + Leprosy Free Chuuk! Introductory Webinar on Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunity from Jon Warkentin and Dick Brostrom: The Chuuk State Department of Health Services will soon begin an island-wide TB screening and treatment project. The goal is to identify, evaluate and treat both active and latent TB infection (LTBI) cases among adults and children living on Weno, Tol, and Polle islands. Our 30-week project will take place between March and September 2020, with follow-up and treatment teams continuing to work until October 2020. To learn more about this opportunity, please attend the webinar:

TB Trials Consortium Study 37 Begins!

The Metro Nashville Public Health TB Program has enrolled its first patients into a new clinical trial for latent TB infection. This trial is led by Dr. Timothy Sterling with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the Tuberculosis Trials Consortium (TBTC).

TB Center receives new $3.6M R01 focused on predisposing factors for progression to TB disease

Drs. Timothy Sterling, Bruno Andrade (Instituto Brasileiro para Investigação da Tuberculose (IBIT), Salvador, Brazil), and Thomas Hawn (University of Washington) have just received a 5-year R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health entitled, “Immunogenetic predictors of active and incipient TB in HIV-negative and -positive close TB contacts” (R01AI147765). This was in response to PAR-16-254, "Mechanisms of Mycobacterial-Induced Immunity in HIV-Infected and Uninfected Individuals to Inform Innovative Tuberculosis Vaccine Design (R01)".

Larissa Otero, MD, MPH receives K43 Emerging Global Leader Award, first investigator to receive the award in Latin America

Larissa Otero, MD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor and investigator at partner institution Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH) and Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt (IMTAvH), in Lima, Peru. Dr. Otero was recently awarded the K43 Emerging Global Leader award from the Fogarty International Center (FIC) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Update of Recommendations for Use of Once-Weekly Isoniazid-Rifapentine Regimen to Treat Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated recommendations for use of once-weekly isoniazid-rifapentine for 12 weeks (3HP) for treatment of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection. The updated recommendations, published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), support expanded use of an effective, shorter, treatment regimen to reach even more people with latent TB infection. The updated recommendations include the use of 3HP:

2018 TB Center Symposium: Cutting-Edge Translational Research in Tuberculosis, April 27, 2018

On Friday, April 27th the TB Center hosted the 2018 Symposium, "Cutting-Edge Translational Research in Tuberculosis". The symposium was attended by Vanderbilt faculty, staff, and students, as well as TN Department of Health and Metro Nashville Health Department members. We heard from a variety of speakers, who came from Nashville, Cincinnati, Seattle, and Brazil! Thomas Hawn, MD, PhD- "Macrophages and resistance to M.tuberculosis infection"

Volunteer Opportunity in the Marshall Islands: TB+Leprosy Free Majuro

To the TB Community, The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Department of Health will soon begin an island-wide TB screening and treatment project. The goal is to identify, evaluate and treat both active and latent TB infection (LTBI) cases among adults and children living on Majuro Island. The 24-week project will take place between June and September this year, with follow-up and treatment teams continuing to work until November 16, 2018.