Curcumin was found to enhance the efficacy of the BCG vaccine by increasing the number of central memory cells. Curcumin also helps in the activation of innate immune cells known as macrophages and dendritic cells. Mice treated with curcumin nanoparticles had ten times less bacterial load than controls. A study carried out on mice models … Continue reading Nanocurcumin enhances BCG vaccine efficacy
Tuberculosis
Cheap, filter-based kits developed for TB diagnosis, drug-resistance testing
Three cheap, filter-based kits developed by a multi-institutional team and an industry partner improves the sensitivity of LED fluorescence microscopy by 5%, enable transport of sputum samples at ambient conditions without bio-safe containers and TB drug-resistance testing using molecular methods. To address the TB diagnostic challenges, a multi-institutional team has developed three cost-effective kits that … Continue reading Cheap, filter-based kits developed for TB diagnosis, drug-resistance testing
Pretomanid: XDR-TB may soon become easily treatable
Though the total number of people with XDR-TB and treatment intolerant or non-responsive MDR-TB who will require the new anti-TB drug Pretomanid may not be high, these are people who have very little alternative treatment options that are both safe and efficacious. Unlike in the case of bedaquiline, pretomanid might become affordable. The anti-tuberculosis drug … Continue reading Pretomanid: XDR-TB may soon become easily treatable
Explainer: What makes the new drug-resistant TB medicine Pretomanid promising
When used in combination with bedaquiline and linezolid, the newly approved pretomanid drug for MDR-TB and XDR-TB had an overall treatment success rate of about 90%. Besides better effectiveness, the duration of treatment is just six months. Treating drug-resistant tuberculosis — multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) — got a shot in the … Continue reading Explainer: What makes the new drug-resistant TB medicine Pretomanid promising
Nipah virus outbreak exposes the chinks in Kerala’s health-care armour
If Kerala was taken by surprise last year by the first outbreak of Nipah virus infection, its recurrence this year strongly suggests that the virus is in circulation in fruit bats. After all, a study published on May 25 this year demonstrated that fruit bat was the source of the virus. In the absence of … Continue reading Nipah virus outbreak exposes the chinks in Kerala’s health-care armour
Tweaked pharmacy referral model increases TB case-finding in Patna
Tweaking the existing pharmacy referral system in Patna brought huge benefits. Instead of referring symptomatic TB patients to doctor for consultation, referring them for an X-ray before consulting a doctor increased the referral rate by 62 times and increased TB diagnosis 25 times. By slightly changing the way private pharmacies help people with symptomatic TB … Continue reading Tweaked pharmacy referral model increases TB case-finding in Patna
Majority of MDR-TB cases in India due to direct transmission: Lancet
While India has set a highly ambitious target of “eliminating TB by 2025”, modelling studies published today say incidence and mortality will reduce by just 57% and 72% respectively by 2035. Ten percent of people with TB die or self-cure before presenting for care. Patient delay before first presentation for care is 4.1 months. Majority … Continue reading Majority of MDR-TB cases in India due to direct transmission: Lancet
Delhi researchers find diabetic drug improves the efficacy of two TB drugs
Delhi researchers have identified a protein that is vital for the formation of biofilm by TB-causing bacteria and other bacterial species. Two FDA-approved drugs (acarbose and cyclosporine-A) bind to the protein and inhibit biofilm formation. The two drugs increased the effectiveness of isoniazid and ethambutol (first-line TB drugs) 2- and 4-fold respectively. Animal trials have … Continue reading Delhi researchers find diabetic drug improves the efficacy of two TB drugs
Podcast: Blocking the entry of TB bacteria into host cells
Scientists from AIIMS, THSTI and IIT Indore have successfully been able to inhibit the entry of TB bacteria into host cells by using aptamer-based inhibitor that binds to the HupB protein found on TB bacteria cell surface. The researchers are now trying to deliver the aptamer into the TB bacterial cell to inhibit the DNA-binding function … Continue reading Podcast: Blocking the entry of TB bacteria into host cells
Small DNA-based inhibitor blocks entry of TB bacteria into host cells
A team of researchers from three institutions in India has used aptamer-based inhibitor that binds to the HupB protein found on TB bacteria cell surface to significantly inhibit the entry of the bacteria into host cells. The researchers are now trying to deliver the aptamer into TB bacterial cell. If successful, it will make the … Continue reading Small DNA-based inhibitor blocks entry of TB bacteria into host cells
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