The Vanderbilt TB Center will lead a two-year, $2.3 million project funded by CRDF Global, to conduct research on the prevalence and incidence of subclinical tuberculosis(TB) in close contacts and evaluate novel biomarkers and diagnostic tests for subclinical TB. The true prevalence and incidence of subclinical TB in close TB contacts is unclear, and the optimal diagnostic method for subclinical TB is unknown.
This project will utilize and build upon the existing strengths and infrastructure of several Regional Prospective Observational Research for Tuberculosis (RePORT) networks (Brazil, Uganda, India, and South Africa) as well as Rutgers, Vanderbilt, and Frontier Science. The RePORT networks in Brazil and Uganda will be enrolling new participants into the study, while the RePORT networks in India and South Africa will be contributing existing clinical data and specimens. This global collaboration will allow for validation and therefore assessment of the generalizability of novel diagnostic tests for subclinical TB.